The #SecretService is confirming reports of a man who lit himself on fire near the #WhiteHouse on Wednesday afternoon.
Video of the dramatic scene was captured and posted on social media. In the video, you can see the man engulfed in flames near the #Ellipse, which is a park located south of the White House, according to @nypost. Emergency responders were seen rushing to the park as the blaze was extinguished.
The man, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to a spokesman for Washington D.C.’s fire department.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the man’s intentions were or if this was some sort of threat to Trump or other White House staff.
Krisjan Berzins took to Twitter to say that his daughter began recording the incident after spotting the burning man near the White House.
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“According to my daughter…she just saw a person that was on fire running across the White House lawn,” Berzins tweeted. “Police and rescue have responded. They’re closing all surrounding streets right now.”
The Secret Service ended up confirming the Berzins’ daughter’s account of the incident.
“At approximately 12:20 p.m. a man lit himself on fire on the Ellipse near 15th and Constitution Ave., Secret Service personnel are on scene assisting @NatlParkService and @usparkpolicepio in rendering first aid,” the law enforcement agency wrote.
According to TMZ, the man suffered burns on 85% of his body. There was also a suspicious package on fire near the man that was extinguished.
There has been a recent history of people wildin’ at or near the White House. Last month, a man in a motorized wheelchair set his jacket on fire outside the White House, which prompted a security lockdown. That man suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
We’ll keep you posted on any updates, Roommates.
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
