Major incident declared after explosion in Leicester, UK

An explosion took place in Leicester city of the United Kingdom (UK) on Sunday, leading to local police declare it a "major incident".

According to Leicestershire Fire and Rescue spokeswoman, a call was received around 7.03 p.m. (local time) that a blast took place on Hinckley Road.

The spokeswoman said six fire engines were requested and the incident was being treated as a search and rescue operation.

"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," Leicester Police tweeted.

Pictures and video on social media show a shop on the street engulfed in flames.

The fire and rescue service spokeswoman said: "This is a search and rescue at the moment. It is unknown if people are injured or trapped."

Residents living close to Hinkley Road, about a mile from the city centre, said their houses shook with the force of the blast.