Lock lifted at U.S. Capitol after brief security alert

by



[ad_1]

The incident involved a tent near the Capitol building, DC Fire and EMS spokesperson Vito Maggiolo said. The fire was on block 100 of H St SE, the authorities said, and was reported to be off around 10:30 a.m.ET One person sustained a non-life threatening injury, city officials said, but US Secret Service said there was “no threat to the public.”

As the blaze was extinguished, the United States Capitol Police, citing an “external security threat,” advised lawmakers and staff to take shelter in place. Capitol Police ordered the complex to “resume normal operations” shortly after 11:30 am.

The response underscores the overwhelming sense of alert in Washington, DC this week. It comes less than two weeks after the deadly siege on Capitol Hill that left five dead and two days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, which turned the city’s downtown area into an armed police zone.

Officials remain vigilant ahead of Biden inauguration after small weekend protests

There are currently hundreds of National Guard soldiers on the Eastern Front of the Capitol. Another alert at one point urged people to stay inside, not to leave, and to stay away from windows and doors.

The Capitol authorities have evacuated the west facade of the building as well as the crypt on the first floor.

“I just tried to leave (the Longworth House office building) after taking my Covid test, to tell myself the building was now locked. Apparently an external threat. Propane tanks under a bridge. Stuck in my office, ”a Democrat congressman told CNN shortly after reporting the incident.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNN’s Manu Raju, Ted Barrett, Abby Phillip, Ali Main and Clare Foran contributed to this report.



[ad_2]

Source link