It is expected that a congressman in the US House of Representatives will plead guilty to falsely triggering a fire alarm in the Capitol.

Jamaal Bowman said in a statement on Wednesday that he would pay a fine and hoped that the charges would ultimately be dropped.

According to court documents, he faces a single charge of “knowingly” setting off a false fire alarm.

According to the New York Democrat, he accidentally triggered it.

As Democrats sought more time to read and decide whether to support a stopgap funding bill, the alarm prompted an hour-long evacuation.

The Republican Party accused Mr Bowman of deliberately attempting to sabotage a vote on the bill on 30 September, even though he said he triggered the alarm by mistake.

On Thursday morning, Mr Bowman will appear in DC for his arraignment on the misdemeanor charge, which carries a maximum penalty of $1,000 (£825) and six months in prison.

Bowman told reporters on Wednesday he would pay the fine and the charges could be dropped after three months if he followed the bail conditions. The incident was described as a “lapse in judgment” by him.

He will also write an apology letter.