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Three men arrested over fatal explosion in Leicester

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after five people died in an explosion ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

20.04 28 Feb 2018


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Three men arrested over fatal...

Three men arrested over fatal explosion in Leicester

Newstalk
Newstalk

20.04 28 Feb 2018


Share this article


Three men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after five people died in an explosion in the British city of Leicester, police have said.

Leicestershire Police have been investigating the cause of the blast, which happened at a Polish supermarket with two flats above it just after 7.00pm on Sunday.

The suspects are all in their 30s and were arrested on Wednesday evening, police confirmed.

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"No further details will be released about these individuals at this stage," said a police spokesman.

"We acknowledge that the terrible events of Sunday night in Hinckley Road have attracted significant public, political and media interest.

"However, in the interests of the ongoing investigation, and out of respect for the families of those missing feared dead, and those who were injured in the explosion and fire, we request that the media and public resist speculating about the identities of those arrested, the circumstances that may have led to their arrest and the cause of the explosion.

"Whilst we will not disclose further details at this stage, we stress that there remains no evidence that the events of Sunday night are in any way terrorist related."

Search and rescue teams found five bodies in the wreckage, but they were so badly injured police said "it may be some considerable time before the bodies can be formally identified".

Mary Rajoobeer (46) and her two sons, Shane (18) and Sean (17) were named by police on Tuesday as missing following the explosion, as was Leah Beth Reek (18) who was Shane's girlfriend.

Viktorija Ljevleva (22), who is thought to have been working at the supermarket, was also reported missing.

Another five people were taken to hospital.

Footage of the explosion was captured on CCTV, showing debris being blasted across the road to the opposite pavement.


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