Inauguration Rehearsal Evacuated After Fire

January 19, 2021 4:21 am

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Capitol complex temporarily locked down during a rehearsal for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration after a fire in a homeless encampment roughly a mile away sent a plume of smoke into the air and caused security concerns. But law enforcement officials say there was no threat to the public and that Monday’s fire was not believed to be a threat to the inauguration. Local firefighters put out the blaze quickly. Meanwhile, the Secret Service has issued a bulletin about what it sees as an “uptick” in National Guard troops in Washington posting pictures and details of their operations online. It is urging them to stop immediately.