The Pentagon was put on lockdown on Thursday due to an air quality issue, reports indicate.
“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants. Those systems have detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance,” said Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “The Department is executing standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area. Response teams are in place and ready to support building occupants.”
Arlington County Fire Department said in a statement, “ACFD units, including our Hazardous Materials Team, are currently operating at the Pentagon in support of PFPA’s Hazmat Team during a hazardous materials incident.”
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency said, “Shelter in place continues in affected areas in the Pentagon until all clear is given.”
The New York Post reports that the Pentagon has a building-wide defense system that can stop air flow between corridors and detect hazardous materials in the air. Its design enables it to seal off parts of the building to mitigate the spread of contaminants.
A 2007 research report on the Pentagon said that the site has “building ventilation systems can be adjusted in real time to minimize air infiltration, and potential evacuation routes can be identified.
According to CNN, evacuation measures were triggered when a sensor system detected the possible presence of anthrax. The report notes that the sensor was malfunctioning and the anthrax detection may have been a false alarm.
An internal guidance memo obtained by the outlet said additional testing was needed. “This additional testing could take one to two hours,” the memo read. “Response teams are in place and ready to support building occupants if necessary. You may observe response personnel from multiple agencies and precautionary measures taking place in the center courtyard. Please do not interpret these activities.”
Update June 11 at 11:30 a.m. PT:
Parnell said the following in a statement: “Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation. Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed.”
“We express our sincere appreciation to the first responders for their swift actions to ensure the safety of all personnel,” he said.
