Shopkeeper describes miracle escape from Leicester blast

Leicester city [UK]: The owner of a shop, which went into flames in an attack at Leicester city of the United Kingdom on Sunday, said he pulled himself from the rubble and climbed into the neighbouring garden to escape the attack that left five persons dead.

The shop owner described his escape was "miraculous" as the explosion caused the convenience store and the flats above it to collapse.

Aram Kurd, who was in the shop at the time, said he had gone to the storeroom at the back of the shop to get some beers for him and employee Victoria when he heard a "loud bang".

The 33-year-old shouted out for Victoria, who had only been working at the store for two days, but has not heard anything from her since.

"I was holding her phone at the time of the explosion as we had been watching YouTube videos. I don't know, I really hope that she's alive. I was shouting Victoria! Victoria! Victoria!" the Telegraph UK quoted him as said.

The shopkeeper described the explosion as a "big noise".

"I found myself up and then to the floor, for two or three minutes I couldn't feel anything, I was looking up, my eyes were open."

"I managed to pull myself from the rubble and climbed into the neighbouring garden."

The survivor said he was unsure about what had happened to the residents of the flat above, but described them as "good people".

"I think they have two or three kids. There were an old man and an old lady," he said.

Residents living in the streets off Hinckley Road said they rushed to help those caught up in the blast amid fears that the majority of the casualties could come from the same family.

Krishna Rungen said his brother-in-law and 15-year-old nephew were pulled out of the rubble and were in hospital whilst his sister and her two older sons were still missing along with the girlfriend of one of the sons.

Five people remain in hospital, including one in a critical condition, after the blast that police declared a "major incident".

Residents said the "enormous" explosion shook properties up to 500 metres away and left many people inside houses in neighbouring streets in a state of shock.

Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said, "The area is still closed off and will be for some considerable time. We have traffic diversions in place and these will remain for the foreseeable future."

"We are still waiting to hear what caused this terrible incident, but it looks likely it was a gas explosion," Soulsby added.