Man sets himself on fire near White House

WASHINGTON, May 30, (Xinhua/GNA) - An unidentified man set himself on fire Wednesday in front of sightseers on the Ellipse park not far from the White House, U.S. Secret Service said.
"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 Secret Service tweeted.
Secret Service spokesman Jeffrey Adams said in a statement that the agency's Uniformed Division Officers "responded in seconds" after the "male individual lit himself on fire.
"Officers then began administering first aid to the man.” “The individual is being transported to a local hospital," Adams added.
The Ellipse is a 52-acre park area that lies south of the White House and north of the National Mall, in the heart of Washington. The fire occurred just north of the Washington Monument.
Source: GNA