Three men accused of manslaughter in connection with the explosion in Leicester which killed five people have appeared in court to deny the charges.
Arkan Ali, 37, Hawkar Hassan, 32, and Aram Kurd, 33, were arrested after the blast destroyed a Polish supermarket and two-storey flat above it on Sunday, February 25.
Mary Ragoobeer, 46, her sons Shane, 18, and Sean, 17, who lived in the flat, Leah Beth Reek, 18, who was Shane's girlfriend, and Viktorija Ijevleva, 22, who is believed to have been working in the shop at the time of the blast, were all killed in the incident in Hinckley Road.
Each of the accused has been charged with five counts of manslaughter. They also pleaded not guilty to separate counts of arson being reckless as to endanger life and fraud by false representation.
During a 50-minute hearing, Kurd, wearing a grey jumper, and Hassan and Ali, wearing blue jumpers, only spoke to confirm their names and to deny all seven alleged offences.
Appearing at Leicester Crown Court via video-link from HMP Woodhill, in Milton Keynes, the three men were told their trial is likely to be heard under a High Court Judge.
Ali, of Drake Close, Oldham, Hassan, of no fixed abode and Kurd, of Hillary Place, Leicester, were remanded into custody by Judge Philip Head until a further hearing on August 31 at the same court.
