A hazardous materials incident prompted a lockdown at the Pentagon on Thursday. Fire officials from Arlington County and defense sources stated that units including the Hazardous Materials Team were operating at the facility to investigate an air quality issue.
The fire department did not disclose specifics about the nature of the incident. However, it was reported that the Pentagon’s sophisticated safety systems detected an air quality concern requiring precautionary measures until its significance is determined.
A Pentagon spokesman stated that standard protection protocols are being executed, including a shelter-in-place order for affected areas. The building was under lockdown with evacuations from several floors, according to CNN sources citing unidentified personnel. Emergency responders were seen wearing full gas masks and chemical protection suits.
Additional testing is needed to identify the source of the problem, as stated by the Pentagon’s security team in a message to CNN.