A MAN HAS set himself on fire on the lawn of the White House, according to the secret service.

It happened at 12.20pm local time and streets in the area were cordoned off.

Secret service personnel, as well as local police and national parks staff came to the aid of the man, and his condition is unknown.

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. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) May 29, 2019 Source: U.S. Secret Service /Twitter

A spokesman for the Washington Fire Department told US outlet CNBC that, “I can confirm that we’ve transported one patient with burns from the Ellipse and we’re now on the scene assisting law enforcement”.

Images of the scene have begun to circulate on social media.

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