An explosion has hit the Space X launchpad in Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The blast occurred during a routine firing test on Thursday morning.

The test was in advance of a planned launch of a rocket from the base on Saturday.

Pictures from the scene showed a huge plume of black smoke rising from the area, while witnesses claimed the blast shook nearby buildings.

No other details - including possible injuries or fatalities - were immediately available.

A spokesman for NASA said he had no information and that the agency was not involved.

Some people posted images on social media and said the blast could be felt in buildings several miles from the facility.

A spokesman for Nasa said he had no information and that the agency was not involved.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of making travel to Mars affordable by cutting launch costs.

The company plans to fly its first unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2018 and send humans to Mars as early as 2024.