Pentagon Partially Locked Down, Possible Hazmat Situation
LIVE COVERAGE: The Pentagon has been partially locked down after emergency crews responded to what officials described as a hazardous materials incident at the nation’s military headquarters. Watch the video below and click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Arlington County Fire and EMS said its units, including a hazardous materials team, were operating at the Pentagon in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s hazmat team.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said building systems detected an “air quality issue,” prompting officials to order precautionary measures while they determined the significance of the problem.
“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” Parnell said in a statement, according to multiple reports. “Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance.”
Parnell said the Department was executing “standard protection protocols,” including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area.
Reuters reported that firefighters were investigating the incident and that CNN, citing unidentified sources, said people had been evacuated from several floors. Axios reported that it remained unclear whether the incident was an actual emergency or a false alarm.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and officials had not disclosed the source of the air quality concern.