Emergency services were called to reports of an explosion at a shop in Narborough Road, Leicester.
The cause of the explosion is still being investigated but six people have been arrested in connection.
“However, at this stage the incident is believed to be suspicious and a criminal investigation is under way,” a police spokesman added.
Several adjoining properties have been evacuated as a safety precaution. Parts of Narborough Road have been closed while investigations are carried out.
Leicestershire Constabulary have appealed for anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

All of Leicester’s schools exceeded the raised benchmark. Schools in the county, meanwhile, achieved record results.
One of the big successes was at New College, in New Parks, Leicester, where results improved from 28 per cent last year to 44 per cent.
Head teacher Jane Brown, who has been in the post for six years, said: “Staff have worked hard to make this happen. Seeing the children’s faces and knowing they’re leaving with great opportunities ahead is fantastic.”
Pupil Kieran Keating, 16, of New Parks, achieved A’s and A*s in nine of his 16 subjects and hopes to go to medical school.
“It’s got better here,” he said. “We’ve had new teachers and things have changed.”
Reece Edge, 16, of Saffron Lane, achieved several B’s and C’s.
He said: “When I started here it was chaotic. Mrs Brown is a miracle worker.”
Overall, 52 per cent of Leicester’s GCSE students achieved five or more A* to C grades including English and Maths, compared with 49 per cent last year.
Councillor Vi Dempster, city council education spokeswoman, said: “The young people of Leicester have once again made the city proud and achieved the best GCSE results we have ever seen. A number of schools have seen stunning results and the city as a whole has smashed its target.”
At Babington Community College, in Beaumont Leys, 39 per cent of pupils got the benchmark grades, compared with 35 per cent last year and 24 per cent in 2009.
Head Denise Newsome said: “It’s about better teaching and personalising everything we do – getting to know our children inside and out.”
Pupil Jessica Lambert, 16, of Beaumont Leys, got an A* in science and A’s in sociology and English literature, and plans to continue with those subjects at A-Level.
She said she was pleased with the way the school was changing. “People work harder and are better behaved,” she said.
The only school that did not reach the target was Riverside College, Rowley Fields, where 25 per cent of pupils got the required grades including English and Maths. It closed this summer.

Firefighters have invited locals to watch them train at a centre to which neighbours have objected.
The £100k training unit in Desford was built to help firefighters deal with severe blazes.
Around 20 people objected to the plans for the unit in October of 2010 as they were concerned about smoke drifting over their gardens.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council granted a 12-month temporary planning consent and is expected to decide whether to grant permanent permission next month.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has invited the public to find out more at a training day on Saturday, between 11am and 1pm.
A spokesman said the service had a statutory and moral duty to train its firefighters to deal with the demanding and risky incidents they attended.
“It is hoped that many people from the community will attend to find out more about the training unit and to see the full training session which will take place on the day,” he said.

All of us hope that neither ourselves nor our loved ones will ever need the services of the air ambulance, but it’s good to know it’s there. It can, and frequently does, mean the difference between life and death. It Enables the seriously injured to reach a hospital much faster than a normal road ambulance but also with a doctor and paramedic on board, the patient can be given life-saving treatment immediately at the scene.

The air ambulance can also reach areas which would be inaccessible by road.

However, this important service receives no Government or lottery funding.  Read more...

A patient watchdog has asked hospital managers to restrict proposed increases in parking charges at hospitals. Representatives of the Leicester Mercury Patients’ Panel have suggested that the cost of the first hour’s parking should be set at £1.50 – 50p more than the current charge but less than the £2.30 proposed by managers at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Panel members also suggested that the free first half-hour of parking at Leicester General and Glenfield hospitals should be scrapped.
Staff are also facing an increase in the prices of their annual car park passes at the three hospitals.  Read more...

Shoppers are being invited to make their own reusable eco-friendly bag.

Volunteers from Morsbags, a global initiative which makes and gives away reusable bags, will host a pop-up shop at Fabrika Independent Arts Centre, in Humberstone Gate, Leicester.

It will run on Saturday, between 11am and 5pm.

Bags made by Morsbags group members will be handed out and people will have the opportunity to make their own.

All equipment and materials are provided but donations of fabric will be welcome.

Organiser Rosie Eley said: “The aim is to raise the profile of Morsbags in the city.  Read more...