Man sets jacket on fire outside White House, says U.S. Secret Service

Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-13 04:13:23|Editor: Xiaoxia

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Secret Service agents are seen outside the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 12, 2019. A man set his jacket on fire outside the White House on Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Secret Service. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A man set his jacket on fire outside the White House on Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Secret Service.

The person, who was operating an electronic wheelchair-type scooter, lit his outer jacket on fire while sitting along the Pennsylvania Avenue outside the north fence line of the White House, the Secret Service wrote in a tweet.

The agency said in another tweet that officers "immediately responded, extinguished the fire and rendered first aid."

The male subject has been transported to a local hospital with "what appears to be non-life threatening injuries," it added.

The incident took place in the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, a main gathering spot for tourists, shortly before 3 p.m. EST, according to The Washington Post.

Part of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House has been closed to traffic, according to the Secret Service.