A hazardous materials incident led to a lockdown at the Pentagon on Thursday as fire officials investigated an air quality issue, according to defense and fire officials.
Response from Fire Department
The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) stated on X that its units, including the Hazardous Materials Team, were operating at the Pentagon in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's Hazmat Team during the incident. No further details were provided.
Pentagon Spokesman Statement
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in an email, "The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants. Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance." He added that standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area, were being executed, and response teams were in place.
Lockdown and Evacuations
The building was under lockdown, with people evacuated from several floors, CNN reported, citing unidentified sources. Floors two through five in corridors four through seven were locked down. Another source reported seeing emergency responders wearing full gas masks and chemical protection suits. A message from Pentagon security stated additional testing was needed to identify the source.
The five-sided Pentagon, targeted in the September 11, 2001 attacks, is one of the world's largest office buildings.
