UPDATE 12:04 PM EST: CNN is now reporting that the lockdown and evacuation of the Pentagon was due to a false alarm. No further details were provided.
Several floors of the Pentagon were locked down and evacuated Thursday after the building’s internal systems flagged an air quality concern, triggering a hazardous materials response from both military and local emergency teams.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that an air quality issue had been detected, requiring precautionary measures while officials worked to determine its significance. Standard protection protocols were being executed, he said, including a shelter-in-place order for affected areas, with response teams already in position to support building occupants.
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According to sources cited by CNN, floors two through five in corridors four through seven were locked down. Emergency responders inside the building were observed in full gas masks and chemical protective suits, adding to the visible urgency of the situation.
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s hazmat team led the on-site response, with the Arlington County Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team operating in a support role. Arlington Fire and EMS confirmed their involvement in a post on X, noting units were on scene at the Pentagon during an active hazardous materials incident.
A security message circulated to building occupants indicated that additional testing would be needed to identify the source of the problem, a process expected to take one to two hours. Staff were advised not to draw conclusions from the multi-agency response personnel and precautionary activity visible in the center courtyard.
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