Explosion Rocks Beijing Airport After Man Sets Off Homemade Bomb

Eyewitness accounts and photos were posted on Chinese social media accounts.

ByABC News
July 20, 2013, 8:46 AM
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, medical workers and policemen work at the terminal 3 of the Beijing International Airport in Beijing, Saturday, July 20, 2013. Chinese state media said that a man set off a homemade bomb in Terminal 3 of the Beijing International Airport, but that no one besides the man was injured and order has been restored.
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, medical workers and policemen work at the terminal 3 of the Beijing International Airport in Beijing, Saturday, July 20, 2013. Chinese state media said that a man set off a homemade bomb in Terminal 3 of the Beijing International Airport, but that no one besides the man was injured and order has been restored.
AP Photo/Xinhua, Chen Jianli

July 20, 2013— -- An explosion rocked the arrival area of Beijing's International Airport today after a man set off a homemade bomb, according to Chinese news media.

The explosion took place at about 6:24 p.m. local time, according to China's state run newscaster, CCTV, which cited witness reports.

Photos posted on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, showed a portion of terminal 3 filled with smoke after the blast.

Both domestic and international flights take off and land in terminal 3.

Chinese police have identified the alleged bomber as Ji Zhongxing. He was the only one injured in the blast.

Police said Zhongxing is a petitioner -- a citizen with a grievance against government officials or police -- though they did not say what Zhongxing's grievance is.

Less than two hours after the explosion, airport officials said operations are back to normal and no flights were affected.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.