BREAKING: Smoke rising behind Capitol building. Inauguration rehearsal appears to be evacuating. Emergency announcement playing at Capitol grounds.
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The smoke has now subsided. People who were on the grounds for inauguration rehearsal have left.
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Capitol buildings on lockdown:
NEW: At 10:20am, Hill staffers received the following text per @ArdenFarhi:
“All buildings within the Capitol Complex: External security threat, no entry or exit is permitted, stay away from exterior windows, doors. If outside, seem cover. USCP”
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DC Fire is reporting a fire nearby. It's not clear if this is the smoke we saw:
#DCsBravest responded to an outside fire in the 100 block of H St SE that has been extinguished. There were no injuries. This accounts for smoke that many have seen.
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Further update, from what appears to have been the source of the smoke/fire a few blocks from the capitol. The fact that this what likely resulted in the lockdown speaks to how high tensions are right now.
All of this homeless person’s belongings just went up in flames under the 695 bridge near H and 2nd SE. Extremely unfortunate... @WTOPtraffic @nbcwashington
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UPDATE: Confirmed, no fire in capitol or on the campus:
3:49 PM · Jan 18, 2021
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Further update from the Secret Service
Public safety and law enforcement responded to a small fire in the area of 1st and F streets SE, Washington, D.C. that has been extinguished. Out of an abundance of caution the U.S. Capitol complex was temporarily shutdown. There is no threat to the public.
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