Police bomb squad shuts down Rhode Island beach after woman injured by mysterious blast

A woman was injured on Saturday in an apparent explosion at a beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island, CBS News reported emergency officials as saying.

The small explosion occurred around noon at Salty Brine Beach on the state's southern coastline, according to CBS and other local media reports. The beach was evacuated after the incident.

It was not clear what caused the explosion, but a bomb squad was at the scene.

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management officials said they were searching for a suspect they believe planted something in the sand before fleeing, according to CBS.

Witnesses quoted by CBS said a woman was thrown onto the rocks of a nearby jetty. She was taken to South County Hospital.

Watch video below from CNN:

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Frances Kerry)