An explosion has taken place outside the United States embassy in China’s Beijing. The reported explosion took place just down the road from the Indian embassy in the Chinese capital.
The reported explosion, which sources told India Today 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.
The Indian embassy building, which is located nearby, suffered no damage in the explosion.
Initial reports about the explosion were conflicting — while China’s state media suggested that the incident had to do with a “self-immolation” attempt, 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.”
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. https://t.co/brqjPex8hu
Grace Lee (@graceleenews) July 26, 2018
State-run media, however, reported otherwise. News agency the Associated Press quoted state-run Global Times as saying that the police “took away a woman spraying gasoline on herself in suspected attempt at self-immolation”.
A journalist for news agency Reuters quoted Chinese state media as saying something similar.
#BREAKING: Chinese state media say police stopped a woman spraying gasoline on herself in a suspected self-immolation attempt outside the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Witnesses say there’s been some sort of an explosion in the area. Videos keep getting deleted off social media.
Grace Lee (@graceleenews) July 26, 2018
“Videos [of the incident] keep getting deleted off social media,” the journalist said.
Images posted by journalists based out of China showed a cordoned off car and smoke in the air near the US embassy.
#BREAKING: Reports: Explosion at US embassy in Beijing #Chinapic.twitter.com/Ji9osoJPFB
Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) July 26, 2018
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.
Seen below in this photo shared by India Today’s correspondent in Beijing is the domed building of the Indian embassy.
Social media photo of smoke from reported explosion outside US Embassy Beijing. That domed structure you see is the Indian Embassy, which is just down the road on Tianze Lu. pic.twitter.com/e1LAl2aMci
News credit : Indiatoday
