Eighteen chengguan, or urban management officers, were hospitalized after being sprayed with sulfuric acid while trying to do their jobs on Wednesday in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, Beijing Times reported.

The incident occurred during a joint law enforcement action by the Urban Management Bureau of Tong'an district and the land department, causing 18 injuries.

An official surnamed Chen from the bureau confirmed the incident.

The police have launched an investigation and declined to elaborate.