A man riding a motorized wheelchair apparently set his jacket on fire outside the White House on Friday afternoon, but was not critically injured, according to the U.S. Secret Service and the D.C. fire department.
Doug Buchanan, a spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, said the fire was extinguished by the time firefighters arrived at the scene in the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, a main gathering spot for tourists.
Buchanan said the person was taken to an area hospital with injuries not believed to be life threatening. The incident occurred a few minutes before 3 p.m.
The Secret Service said uniformed officers gave the man medical attention. Part of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House was closed for the investigation. It was not immediately clear if the man was protesting something.
Criminal charges had not been filed as of 3:30 p.m.
(c) 2019, The Washington Post · Peter Hermann
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