A store owner in Yushu, Jilin province, died in a blast when he smoked a cigarette left at his store, and police said the suspect is the brother-in-law of the dead man, people.com.cn reported on Wednesday.

The blast happened at around 10 am on Sunday when Li Heping, 59, lit a cigarette at his store, said the website, which is under the People's Daily.

No customers were injured in the explosion, said the report.

The cigarette was one of a pack found hanging on the store's door several days before the tragedy, the report said.

Li's wife said she tried to persuade her husband to throw the cigarettes away but he refused, according to the report.

After the explosion occurred, police in Changchun, the capital of the province, and Yulin city started an investigation, and found Wang Zhaochun, the husband of Li's elder sister, had economic disputes with the dead man and detained the suspect, according to the report.

On Monday, Wang, 73, confessed to causing the blast and the case is still under investigation, the report added.

Contact the writer caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn