Beijing (CNN) A 26-year-old man detonated an explosive on the street outside the US Embassy in Beijing Thursday, police said, injuring himself before he was taken away by authorities.

The explosion, which could be heard several blocks away, took place outside the southeast corner of the compound at about 1 p.m. local time (1 a.m. ET), sending a large plume of white smoke into the air above the embassy.

"There was one individual who detonated a bomb. Other than the bomber, there were no injuries and there was no damage to embassy property. The local police responded," a US Embassy spokesperson said in a statement.

An area outside the embassy, in the capital's Chaoyang district, was immediately cordoned off by authorities following the incident. By the time reporters arrived at the scene, only a small amount of debris could still be seen.

One IT worker who was less than 40 meters from the scene when the incident occurred told CNN he saw police running towards the explosion.

Read More