One person was killed and six others, including three police officers, were injured in two explosions in succession at a private residence in north China's coal-rich Shanxi Province on Wednesday morning.

The first explosion took place at 9:15 a.m. in the Xiaodian district of Taiyuan, Shanxi provincial capital, injuring three people who were making detonators illegally, possibly for coal mining, said a spokesman from the Taiyuan public security bureau. The three injured were sent to hospital.

However, the second explosion occurred just one and a half hours after the first one, killing a government employee and injuring three police who were investigating.

Further investigation into the explosions is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2008)