Well, it appears Chidanand got that wrong, too:
The man who tried to immolate himself near the air and space museum close to the Capitol is out of danger, thanks to joggers in the mall area who ripped off their t-shirts to put out the fire even as another person was reported to be filming him. It was still not clear what possessed him to try self-immolation. It was just another strange day at a strange time in the US capital.
According to the NY Daily News:
The unidentified man — who was airlifted Friday to a Washington hospital after the 4:20 p.m. self-immolation — died later that evening, said Officer Araz Alali of the District of Columbia police.