CAIRO, Aug 20 (Aswat Masriya) - Eight people were injured in the blast that occurred outside a security building in Greater Cairo in the early hours of Thursday, state-run television reported, citing the ambulance authority. 

The blast took place in the vicinity of the the Homeland Security building in northern tip of Cairo in Qalyubia governorate. 

The explosion is likely to have been caused by a vehicle, loaded with explosives, state television said.

The blast damaged the building and shattered nearby houses. 

The blast shook houses in several neighbourhoods across the Cairo metropolis and sound of the blast has woken up residents.

Many residents immediately took to Twitter, to report hearing the sound, some even reporting shattered glass.

People on social media have reported hearing the explosion in the neighbourhoods of Dokki, Haram, Zamalek, Maadi, cental Cairo and even in outskirts of the city.

Although militancy in Egypt has largely affected North Sinai, the Egyptian capital has been hit by several blasts. 

The Italian consulate in Cairo was targeted on July 11, in an explosion which left one person dead and prompted the consulate to temporarily suspend its services. 

Late Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat, who served as the state's highest prosecutor, was assassinatedon June 29 when a bomb targeted his motorcade in Cairo.