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Police & fire department respond to ‘major incident’ in Leicester, UK after reports of explosion
British police said they were responding to a "major incident" after reports of a large blast in the central English city of Leicester. The fire department said six fire engines were sent to the scene.
Leicester police are advising people to avoid the area of the “major incident” which is on Hinckley Road in the city. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene after the explosion at about 7pm local time.
"We got a call about an hour ago after reports of a large explosion and a building collapse," a firefighter in a control room in the city said.
"At about 7pm, we heard an absolutely massive explosion," a witness told local newspaper the Leicester Mercury. "It was quite frightening. We went to look out of the upstairs windows and saw loads of smoke, and then a few seconds later massive orange flames.”
Pictures and videos posted on Twitter showed flames leaping into the sky above the city. British media said a convenience store and a house had been destroyed in the blast.
| Major Incident |
19:19 |There has been a major incident on Hinckley Road, Leicester. All emergency services are currently dealing with this. Carlisle Street and part of Hinckley Road have been closed Please avoid the area.
— LeicestershirePolice (@leicspolice) February 25, 2018
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