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Dec. 22 (UPI) -- A man was taken to a hospital after he climbed 15-20 feet up the National Christmas Tree on the Eclipse just south of the White House, the U.S. Park Service Police said. The unidentifed man remained up the 28-foot tree for about 1 1/4 hours Friday night as two officers negotiated with him, U.S. Park Police Sgt. Eduardo Delgado said to WTOP-TV.
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He was believed to be in some sort of emotional distress, WRC-TV reported. He was not injured.
Police first received a call about the situation about 5:45 p.m., President's Park, which is part of the National Park Service, posted on Twitter.
Tree lights will remain off until Park Service officials have assessed the damage.
The park's pageant area was closed for the remainder of the evening and a holiday performance scheduled for Saturday -- the last of the season -- in President's Park is canceled, NPS said. President's Park jurdisdiction includes the White House, Lafayette Park, the Ellipse and White House Visitor Center.
The National Christmas Tree, planted in 2012, is a living Colorado blue spruce from Virginia, which can be viewed year-round in President's Park.
On Nov. 28, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participated in the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the White House.
Trump has remained at the White House instead of traveling to Florida with his wife and son Barron during the partial government shutdown.
The first lighting took place 96 years ago on Christmas Eve in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit a tree in front on the Ellipse.
