LONDON -- Police for the English city of Leicester say they are responding to a "major incident" after receiving reports of an explosion.

Leicestershire Police said on Twitter that emergency services were dealing with the incident on Hinckley Road and asked the public to stay away from the area.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said six fire engines were responding and the incident is being treated as a search and rescue operation. Video footage from the scene showed a building that appeared engulfed in flames and a number of police cars and ambulances stationed nearby.

The cause of the reported explosion has not been determined.

Leicester is 177 kilometers (110 miles) north of London.