Fire near capitol causes scare at rehearsal

WASHINGTON A rehearsal for Wednesday’s inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris was suspended Monday when u.s. Capitol police quickly ushered participants inside the rotunda and locked the doors.

Shortly after 10 a.m. police alerted people at the Capitol and surrounding complex not to enter or exit because of what was characterized as “an external security threat.”

Shortly afterward, d.c. firefighters announced they had responded to a fire under a bridge several blocks from the Capitol.

The fire was the result of propane in a Coleman heater exploding in a homeless camp, said d.c. Fire spokesman Vito Maggiolo. The alert was lifted shortly after 11 a.m., and rehearsal resumed.