Man detained after device explodes near US embassy in Cairo

A general view of the US embassy in Garden city district, Cairo, Egypt. EPA

Egyptian police have arrested an “extremist” after flammable material he had in his backpack caught fire outside the US embassy in Cairo. No one has been injured, including the perpetrator.

"The man harbours extremist ideology, according to initial examination,” a security source told CNN. The man "was planning to use flammable chemical material" contained in a plastic bottle to carry out "hostile act.”

A man believed to be the individual was then lead away by a crowd before being transferred to security services custody.

Initial footage shows the alleged offender walking along before smoke balloons from his backpack and he falls over.

The device exploded in front of concrete blocks guarding the entrance to the complex which contains the embassy.

The heavily fortified US embassy is near numerous other diplomatic missions in the Egyptian capital.

Another video shows the supposed perpetrator being dragged away. He appears unhurt and not dazed.

The embassy warned American citizens via Twitter to stay away from the embassy before later saying normal business had resumed. "Police have finished their investigations at the scene of the incident," the embassy wrote on Twitter.

Just over an hour later the embassy said police had finished investigations and normal business was returning.