Several floors inside the Pentagon were locked down for a few hours Thursday, after “sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants” flagged an air quality issue.
“Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation. Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed,” Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement.
When the Pentagon’s systems detected the issue, officials issued “a shelter-in-place order for the affected area,” Parnell said in an earlier statement to NOTUS.
Some Pentagon personnel in the seven-floor building were evacuated, CNN reported.
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The Arlington County Fire Department said it sent units to the scene, including the hazardous materials team, to aid the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.
“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,” ACFD said in a post on X.
This story was updated to include that the lockdown has ended.
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