One person died and two others were injured when a fighter jet crashed in a residential area in central China.

An Air Force J-7 crashed near an airport during a training flight on Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

According to state media, several buildings were severely damaged in the crash of the jet and one resident died.

According to the report, two other residents were injured.

They were taken to the hospital, as was the pilot, who parachuted to safety.

The cause of the crash in Xiangyang city, Hubei province is under investigation, CCTV said.

Flames and smoke could be seen on a street in Xiangyang in pictures of the crash site released by the official Xinhua news agency.

Several buildings were apparently leveled to the ground.