By Emma Reilly, The Canadian Press

TORONTO - A propane depot employee believed to have died in Sunday's massive explosions that sent thousands fleeing a Toronto neighbourhood was an international student from India who was "the heart and soul" of the people close to him, people who knew him said Thursday.

Parminder Saini, 24, has been missing since the explosion at Sunrise Propane, where he worked part-time, and friends and his family in Bhatinda, India are fearing the worst.

A body was recovered from the blast site and taken to the coroner's office for autopsy, but officials have yet to identify it.

"He was a very nice person... smiling all the time ... making other people laugh," Manpreet Sidhu wrote in an email, adding she was too upset to speak on the phone. "(He was) very down to earth. He loved his family and he was a very dedicated guy."

Sidhu met Saini at Sheridan College in Brampton, Ont., just west of Toronto, where they both went to school. Sidhu said they came from the same city in India and had become good friends since Saini arrived in Canada in December 2007.