Скачать или смотреть Loud noise triggers security alert at US White House

A loud noise was heard on the white house's South Lawn just before US President Barack Obama and his family were due to take off by helicopter, a White House pool report said on Saturday.

It said the noise prompted Secret Service agents to move the press back into the briefing room and lock the doors. Obama and his family were not yet on the South Lawn.

The New York Times said that at around the same time as the fire, a bomb-sniffing dog had detected something on a nearby vehicle, although the two incidents did not appear related. The vehicle was being checked.

A tweet by WTOP local radio quoted the Secret Service as saying the fire on a nearby street corner was not considered a serious threat and that the security situation was now contained.

White House pool reports earlier said a loud bang had prompted Secret Service agents to move the waiting press back into the briefing room, lock the doors and put the building on lockdown.

No further details were immediately available.