Police Evacuate U.S. Capitol, Visitors' Center

Police evacuated the U.S. Capitol and its visitors' center while closing area streets on Tuesday as alarms sounded in both buildings.

Kimberly Schneider, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, said officers were investigating the cause of an audible alarm and had told people to leave the Capitol and the connecting visitors' center. Lawmakers were in recess this week for the weeklong Memorial Day break.

"There are no signs of smoke or fire," Schneider said.

NBC News producer and reporter Frank Thorpe reported on Twitter that he was told a fire alarm went off in the visitors' center, followed by another alarm in the U.S. Capitol.

Thorpe posted around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday that an all-clear had been given at the Capitol, and authorities were allowing staff, but not members of the public, back into the building. The visitors' center remained closed, he wrote several minutes later.

In response to the evacuations, police closed First Street between Constitution and Independent Avenues, and part of East Capitol Street.

"An evacuation has been ordered for U.S. Capitol Visitor Center due to an audible alarm," police said in a message to congressional offices. "Remain calm and move in a safe manner to the exits."

Hundreds of tourists were forced out of the building onto the East Lawn between the Capitol and the Library of Congress.

Fink Arthur, a 28-year-old tourist from Freiborg, Germany, said he was with a tour guide and initially was told it was probably just a test but then the guide led them out of the building.

Denise Grandits of Buffalo, New York, said she and 70 eighth-graders were touring the Capitol and heard the alarms. She said the guide escorted them out of the building.

"We just walked. It was pretty calm," she said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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