Man sets himself on fire at Washington, D.C. National Mall

A man set himself on fire at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

People who were near the National Air and Space Museum rushed over to the man and used their shirts to put out the fire, the Los Angeles Times is reporting.

The unidentified man was then taken to an area hospital by helicopter.

A witness to the incident, Nichole Didyk, said she saw "flames on the Mall. ... Not like shooting flames, but the grass was on fire." She said she also witnessed about five men using their shirts to put out the flames.

Didyk said that one of the men who put out the fire said the man "saluted the Capitol and then lit himself on fire."

According to Reuters, though the man lit himself on fire Didyk says that the man thanked those who rushed to his aid.

Mitch Smith of the National Park Police said police responded to the call at 4:30 p.m. and "Officers and citizens extinguished the flames."

This event comes just a day after a woman tried to ram the White House gates before driving to the Capitol where she was ultimately shot and killed by officers reporting to the scene.