An explosion has taken place outside the United States embassy in China's Beijing. The explosion took place just down the road from the Indian embassy in the Chinese capital.

News agency Reuters quoted the Beijing police as saying that a "firework device" had exploded outside the US embassy. The embassy, however, described the device as a bomb in its statement.

The blast, which sources told was of a "very low intensity", took place in an area that is usually crowded. Students and families waiting for visa appointments as well as agents and brokers usually throng the area.

There were no reports of any causalities or of any major damage. The Indian embassy building, which is located nearby, suffered no damage in the explosion.

The incident is surrounded in confusion. China's state media initially suggested that the incident had to do with a "self-immolation" attempt while other unverified sources indicated that an actual blast had taken place.

A journalist for news agency Reuters, quoting an eye-witness's tweet, said on Twitter: "According to this tweet, witnesses say a man brought a homemade explosive with the intention of throwing it into the embassy, but it exploded beside him instead. Haven't verified this yet".

"Videos [of the incident] keep getting deleted off social media," the journalist said in another tweet.

The Indian embassy is located just down the road from the US embassy. A aerial shot taken opposite the Indian embassy showed white smoke spreading all over the place.

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