A man has died and a woman been injured after an explosion outside a metro station in Stockholm.

Police spokesman Sven-Erik Olsson said witnesses saw the man, in his 60s, pick up an object off the ground "which promptly exploded".

He died after being taken to hospital and a 45-year-old woman also suffered minor wounds to her face and both legs.

The Expressen and Aftonbladet newspapers said the device was a hand grenade, but that has not been confirmed.

"It is too early to say," Mr Olsson said. "Technicians are still working on it.


"Nothing indicates that the (injured) couple were targeted."

Mr Olsson added that it did not appear to have been an act of terrorism.

The Varby Gard station, in the Huddinge residential district in southwest Stockholm, was closed off for investigation.