Live footage of the moment TV hosts react to a man setting himself on fire outside a courthouse where Donald Trump's criminal trial was being held has gone viral.
The man erupted into flames in New York City's Collect Pond Park on Friday, just metres away from the New York courthouse where Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place.
After hearing screams, CNN TV anchor Laura Coates originally shared there was "an active shooter in the park outside the court" during a live cross after seeing people fleeing the scene.
She then corrected herself when she saw the man setting himself on fire.
"We have a man who has set fire to himself, a man has emblazoned himself outside of the courthouse just now," Coates said.
"There is chaos that is happening."
Footage showed police and paramedics rushing to the scene carrying fire extinguishers, as onlookers continued screaming, while some stood in shock.
Coates remained poised as she continued to describe what was unfolding before her eyes.
"We have seen an arm that has been visible that has been engulfed in total flames," she said.
"We are watching multiple fires breaking out around his body and person."
As she gripped her earpiece, she described smelling "burning of some sort of flesh".
Once the fire was put out, Coates added: "What an emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment here in Manhattan".
Following the live reporting at the scene of the fire, Coates then reflected on what she had seen later that night while presenting from the CNN studio.
She admitted she'd initially thought it was an active shooter.
"My instincts told me to tell you what I was seeing. My mouth narrated my eyes," she said.
"But my eyes - I wish I could unsee it. My nose wishes to un-smell it. My heart breaks for that man and his family."
"I feel so conflicted about turning back to a trial after what we saw," Coates said as she moved the discussion back to Trump.
"But today we did, and we are."
