The Washington DC building was evacuated on Monday during a rehearsal for Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday
The US Capitol in Washington DC was evacuated during a rehearsal for Joe Biden’s inauguration because of an ‘external threat,’ with smoke seen rising outside. CBS News reporter Zak Hudak shared news of the lockdown, which he says was made via intercom inside the building, on Monday morning.
An alarm could be heard ringing out, as a recorded announcement said: ‘All buildings within the Capitol Complex: External security threat, no entry or exit is permitted, stay away from exterior windows, doors. If outside, seek cover.’ People were also seen being evacuated from the building.
Another reporter, Jackson Proskow, shared a video of the alarm going off and smoke rising, and wrote: ‘Smoke rising behind Capitol building. Inauguration rehearsal appears to be evacuating. Emergency announcement playing at Capitol grounds.
‘The smoke has now subsided. People who were on the grounds for inauguration rehearsal have left.’ NBC News has reported that the smoke was discovered to have come from a nearby homeless encampment.
The US Capitol Police Department has tweeted that the lockdown was triggered out of ‘an abundance of caution’ because of a fire under a nearby bridge – believed to be the same homeless encampment – and that there was no blaze on-site. An all-clear alert has since been sent.
The Capitol was hit by deadly riots sparked by pro-President Trump protests on January 6, with the building evacuated, and five people killed. A total of 20,000 troops have been drafted in to protect the seat of the US government ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration there on Wednesday afternoon.
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