Smoke rises near the office building of the Shanxi provincial Party committee in Taiyuan on Wednesday. Police are investigating the bomb blasts that killed one and injured eight. Liu Guoliang / Xinhua

A number of homemade bombs exploded near the office building of Shanxi province's top Party committee on Wednesday morning, leaving one dead and eight injured.

One of the eight was seriously wounded, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The blast occurred at around 7:40 am in front of the office building of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China on Yingze Street in Taiyuan.

Witnesses said explosives were also detonated at the west entrance to the committee's dormitory area, where some officials of the committee and their family members live.

Ball bearings and circuit boards were found scattered at the scene. Police said this indicated the bombs were homemade.

How many bombs exploded is unknown.

While some media reports said eight explosions were heard, a China Daily reporter based in Taiyuan heard four or five blasts during a five- to 10-minute period.

The provincial public security department sent an explosive ordnance disposal team to the scene, and no other explosives were discovered.

A loud explosion was heard and heavy smoke and flames were seen as Liu Guoliang, a witness, drove east on the Yingze overpass.

Liu saw heavy smoke coming from a minivan and a lot of debris at the scene as he waited at a traffic light in front of the office building.

A witness who wished to remain anonymous told China Daily that a blast also occurred outside the west entrance of the dormitory area, which is separated from the office area by a wall.

The China Daily reporter found ball bearings on the ground near the west entrance.

Late in the afternoon, police still had a small area near the west entrance cordoned off, and visitors were required to present a work ID to enter the office area.

The other three gates of the dormitory area were guarded by armed police, and people were prohibited from entering or leaving the building until about 9 am.

Police are still investigating the case.

Contact the writers at chenghong@chinadaily.com.cn and houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn