Updated at 9.14am

A suspected "firework device" exploded outside the US Embassy in Beijing on Thursday wounding the 26-year-old male suspect and no one else, police said.

The embassy, in a separate statement, described the device as a bomb. It said police had responded but did not offer further details. Police said only the suspect was wounded, suffering an injury to his hand.

The state-run Global Times newspaper said earlier police took away a woman who sprayed herself with gasoline in what was suspected to be a self-immolation attempt outside the embassy.

Witnesses told Reuters that they heard an explosion near the U.S. Embassy and felt tremors. One of the witnesses said there were seven to eight police vehicles near the embassy.

A Reuters witness saw Chinese police examining a vehicle outside the embassy and social media showed pictures of smoke close to where people line up outside the compound for visa appointments.

Police officers are seen near the US embassy in Beijing.

Woman is led away by security in Beijing.