The White House went on lockdown Saturday morning just as President Barack Obama and his family were scheduled to take off by helicopter.
A loud noise on the South Lawn prompted the press to move back into the briefing room and lock the doors, according to a pool report tweeted out by White House correspondent Tommy Christopher.
USA Today reports that a sniffer dog alerted officials to a vehicle fire in the 1600 block of Constitution Avenue and the lockdown took effect around 10 a.m. ET. A press pool was sent out at 11 a.m. and said the lockdown was ongoing and the issue appears to be smoke coming from a vendor or vehicle.