The Pentagon went into partial lockdown Thursday after building monitoring systems detected an air quality issue, prompting Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell to issue a shelter-in-place directive for affected areas. Multiple floors and hallways were secured as the Department of Defense executed what Parnell called "standard protection protocols" while officials investigated the source of the alert. The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the facility in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's hazmat team, with county units including a specialized hazardous materials team deployed to the scene.
Parnell said the Pentagon's sophisticated safety systems had flagged the potential air hazard, necessitating precautionary measures until authorities could determine its significance. Employees in certain corridors on select floors received messages instructing them to remain in place while testing proceeded, with officials noting results could take one to two hours. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency stated the shelter-in-place order would remain in effect "until all clear is given."
Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard existed at the facility, and normal operations resumed. At 1:31 p.m. EDT, Parnell announced that the all-clear had been given. Sources told ABC News that authorities were investigating whether a sensor malfunctioned or whether something actually triggered the alert, with additional testing ongoing to verify the cause.
The Pentagon houses nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel daily within its 600,000-square-meter structure, making it the world's largest low-rise office building.
The Pentagon went into partial lockdown Thursday after building monitoring systems detected an air quality issue, prompting Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell to issue a shelter-in-place directive for affected areas. Multiple floors and hallways were secured as the Department of Defense executed what Parnell called "standard protection protocols" while officials investigated the source of the alert. The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the facility in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's hazmat team, with county units including a specialized hazardous materials team deployed to the scene.
Parnell said the Pentagon's sophisticated safety systems had flagged the potential air hazard, necessitating precautionary measures until authorities could determine its significance. Employees in certain corridors on select floors received messages instructing them to remain in place while testing proceeded, with officials noting results could take one to two hours. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency stated the shelter-in-place order would remain in effect "until all clear is given."
Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard existed at the facility, and normal operations resumed by early afternoon. At 1:31 p.m. EDT, Parnell announced that the all-clear had been given. Sources told ABC News that authorities were investigating whether a sensor malfunctioned or whether something actually triggered the alert, with additional testing ongoing to verify the cause.
The Pentagon houses nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel daily within its 600,000-square-meter structure, making it the world's largest low-rise office building. The rapid response and resolution meant the disruption to Defense Department operations remained limited to the hours-long investigation period.
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