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Blast near US Embassy in Beijing – reports (PHOTO, VIDEO) ‘Firework device’ prompts bomb scare at US Embassy in Beijing (PHOTO, VIDEO)
(35 minutes later)
A blast has reportedly taken place outside the US Embassy in Beijing. People on social media posted photos and videos of the aftermath of the purported explosion. A “suspected firework device” has exploded near the US Embassy in Beijing, causing a bomb scare, police say. Law enforcement added that no one, apart from the person who set off the firework, was hurt.
Plumes of smoke are seen in videos released online. The images also show police and what appears to be a body covered by a blanket, lying on the ground. A 26-year-old man set off the device in Chaoyang District in the Chinese capital, causing an explosion, police said in a statement, released on Twitter. The person in question received a light hand injury.
Apart from the US Embassy, Chaoyang District is home to many foreign diplomatic missions. The area also hosts the famous Silk Street Market, shopping malls, and restaurant strips.
Amid reports of the blast, China’s Global Times cited witnesses claiming that a woman sprayed gasoline on herself in a suspected self-immolation attempt. Police took her away, but it is not yet clear if the incident is related to the suspected explosion, according to the Global Times. “Just heard a loud noise, the delivery boy said there was an explosion at the US embassy,” the Hong Kong Free Press cited a Chinese-speaking witness as saying on the microblogging website Weibo. Another Weibo user wrote: “Heard a big bang while walking on the street after lunch, and then they started setting up police cordons near the American embassy.”
Locals heard a “thunder-like bang” near the building, GT reported, adding that its correspondent on the scene said the “scent of explosives lingered on for half an hour.” Plumes of smoke can be seen in videos released online. The images also show police and what appears to be something covered by a blanket on the ground. Locals heard a “thunder-like bang” near the building, the Global Times newspaper reported.
Chinese police were seen examining a vehicle outside the compound, a witness told Reuters. Earlier reports on social media claimed that a man attempted to throw a homemade bomb into the gated compound of the embassy, but the device went off earlier than planned. Chinese police were seen examining a vehicle outside the compound, a witness told Reuters.
“Just heard a loud noise, the delivery boy said there was an explosion at the US embassy,” the Hong Kong Free Press cited a Chinese-speaking witness as saying on the microblogging website Weibo. Another Weibo user wrote: “Heard a big bang while walking on the street after lunch, and then they started setting up police cordons near the American embassy.” 
The US Embassy is located in Chaoyang District, which is home to many foreign embassies and consulates. The area also hosts the famous Silk Street Market, shopping malls, and restaurant strips.
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