MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The explosion took place in Tsinghua University, China Radio International (CRI) reported on its website. The blast's cause is under investigation.
#UPDATE 1 killed in chemical lab fire at Tsinghua University, #Beijing. Fire is now out and investigation underway pic.twitter.com/061vr3BL1Q
— CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) December 18, 2015
A fire followed the explosion, with photographs published by CRI showing black smoke emerging from a second floor window of a university building as firefighters tackled the blaze.
The fire has since been put out, according to the local fire department. The number of people injured remains unspecified. The victim of the blast was a postdoctoral researcher working in the lab.
Tsinghua is a research university. The university's department of chemistry is a widely recognized center for scientific research and student training in China, according to the department's website.