Man’s clothing fire sparks White House emergency: officials

The Secret Service, which guards the president, said a man “operating an electronic wheelchair-type scooter lit his outer jacket on fire while sitting along Pennsylvania Ave. outside the North Fence Line.”

Washington, April 12, 2019 (AFP) - Secret Service agents rushed to secure the White House on Friday after they said a man set his jacket on fire just outside the fence.

Details about what happened were scanty. It was not even immediately clear what caused the fire. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

The Secret Service, which guards the president, said a man “operating an electronic wheelchair-type scooter lit his outer jacket on fire while sitting along Pennsylvania Ave. outside the North Fence Line.”

Officers “immediately responded, extinguished the fire and rendered first aid,” the Secret Service tweeted, adding that the man had “what appears to be non-life threatening injuries.”

Details about what happened were scanty. It was not even immediately clear what caused the fire.

In a rare sight, officers rushed to the scene and others ordered journalists usually stationed with rows of television cameras outside the White House to get inside the building.

Reporters were allowed back outside a short while later.