Pictured: The family feared dead in huge shop explosion
THIS is the family missing and feared dead in a huge explosion at a grocery store.
It is believed that Mary Ragoobar and her three sons Scotty, 15, Shane, 18, and Sean, 17, were in their home above the Zabka Polish grocery store in Hinckley Road, Leicester, when tragedy struck on Sunday night.
At least five people were killed and five others injured in the blast, which took place at around 7pm.
Ms Ragoobar’s brother, Krishna Rungen, said his sister and three sons were at home at the time.
He said he had spoken to Scotty who was recovering in hospital, but he feared that Sean, Shane and Mary, 46, had died in the explosion.
The fourth victim feared to have died was named locally as Victoria, a shop worker. Shane’s teenage girlfriend, named locally as Leah Reek, is feared to be the fifth victim.
Mr Rungen, 69, said: “The 15-yearold was pulled out by a passerby. He has a few cuts but he’s OK.
Devastated
“He said his mum and his brothers were watching TV and then the next thing he knows bricks were falling over him. Then it was pitch black.
“He was crying for help and somebody just pulled him out of the rubble, wrapped him in a blanket and took him to the hospital.
“My sister and the older two boys are still missing. We are devastated.”
He said Mary and her husband, who has been named as Jose, both worked as cleaners and had moved to the UK with their sons 15 years ago.
Zabka owner Aram Kurd, 33, said a new staff recruit called Victoria was missing since Sunday evening’s blast which happened when he had gone to a storeroom to get them a drink.
He said: “It was a big noise. I found myself going up and then to the floor. For two or three minutes I couldn’t feel anything. I was holding her phone. I was shouting ‘Victoria, Victoria’.”
Hospital staff said the injured included one in a critical condition and four “walking wounded”. Dramatic tales have emerged of neighbours who braved blizzard conditions to help survivors escape.
Gurkaran Singh Bains, 43, said he rushed to the scene after hearing the “loud bang” at 7pm from his home 50 yards away.
“It was like a war zone,” he said. “There were five people in the flat – all young men. We led them to safety.”
John Alexander, who lives nearby, said: “I felt a tremor, what felt like an earthquake shock. I heard a very low boom that sounded like a very, very fast release of pressure.”
Last night emergency services said there may still be people trapped inside the wreckage.
Matt Cane from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There are still pockets of fire in the basement.
“We have a significant number of specialist search and rescue teams supported by two search dogs. It may be some days before we establish the probable cause of the explosion.”
Superintendent Shane O’Neill, of Leicestershire Police, said: “Rescue efforts continue in order to locate any further casualties.”
There was “no evidence” the blast was linked to terrorism, he added.