WORLD : Man Sets Self Afire, Dies in D.C.

A man died today after setting himself on fire outside the U.S. Capitol, officials said.

The man, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, a District of Columbia Fire Department spokesman said. The incident occurred on the West Front of the Capitol, facing the Mall that stretches from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.

There was no immediate indication that the incident was connected to any political cause, said Officer Dan Nichols of the Capitol police.

Nichols said the man used “some kind of accelerant” to feed the flames.

Nichols said the man was burned too badly to identify by race or age. He said police made a sweep of the area with canine teams and were looking for something that would identify the victim.