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Response: Emergency crews were on the scene in minutes and he was said to be conscious and breathing as he was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital
A man reportedly set himself on fire on the National Mall this afternoon. Police were called to respond to the emergency at 4.24pm and the fire was put out. The man has not been named, but DC Police reportedly said that he was conscious and breathing.

The man's exact motivations have not been reported but the chosen location hints that it was a demonstration of sorts.

The Mall is a national park, making it one of the hundreds of such sites across the country that have been closed as a result of the government shutdown.

U.S. Park Police sources told MailOnline that the shutdown didn't play into the rescue.

'There is no indication that the government shutdown impacted the way anyone responded to this. DC Fire/EMS had people on the scene in, literally, three minutes, and a helicopter transport was there minutes later,' the source told MailOnline.

'We are the lead agency in this investigation, but it will be awhile before we give out details to anyone.'

The incident comes one day after a woman was killed by police after she rammed her car into a barricade leading to the White House.