Inside The Hazmat Incident That Disrupted The Pentagon

A hazardous materials incident that triggered a shelter-in-place order and emergency response at the Pentagon on Thursday has been resolved after officials determined there was no threat.

“Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in an updated statement. “Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed.”

Earlier in the day, the Pentagon’s monitoring systems detected what officials described as an air quality issue, leading the Department of Defense to implement standard safety protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for affected areas of the building.

“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” Parnell said in a statement. “Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance. The Department is executing standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area. Response teams are in place and ready to support building occupants.”

Some of the floors in the Pentagon were evacuated while other parts of the building were locked down, according to CNN.

The Arlington County Fire Department confirmed that its Hazardous Materials Team responded to the Pentagon and is assisting the Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s hazmat unit.

“ACFD units, including our Hazardous Materials Team, are currently operating at the Pentagon in support of PFPA’s Hazmat Team during a hazardous materials incident,” the department said.

The Pentagon remains under lockdown as authorities work to determine the cause and severity of the incident. No injuries have been reported, and officials have not yet released additional details about the air quality issue.

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