The Pentagon lifted a precautionary lockdown Thursday after air-quality testing found no ongoing hazard following an earlier hazmat response. Monitoring systems prompted evacuations and shelter-in-place orders for affected corridors while hazardous materials teams from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency and Arlington County responded. Officials thanked first responders and confirmed normal operations have resumed.
Pentagon Returns to Normal Operations After Precautionary Hazmat Response
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on April 8. An air quality issue related to a hazardous materials incident has caused multiple floors to be locked down at the Pentagon on Thursday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
June 11 (UPI) — The Pentagon lifted a precautionary lockdown Thursday afternoon after building air-quality monitors triggered a hazardous-materials response earlier in the day. Officials say testing found no ongoing hazard and normal operations have resumed.
"Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation," Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said. "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," Parnell added.
Some areas of the Pentagon were evacuated after the building's monitoring systems detected an air-quality concern. Lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders affected floors two through five in corridors four through seven while teams assessed conditions.
The Pentagon Force Protection Agency dispatched its hazardous materials response unit to the scene, and the Arlington County Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Team also responded, Pentagon spokesperson Capt. Jamie Jill said. Officials conducted air sampling and other standard checks before declaring the area safe.
More than 25,000 people work inside the Pentagon. The building contains over 6 million square feet of floor space, spans 583 acres and features more than 17 miles of corridors.
Timeline (brief): Morning monitoring alerts prompted precautionary actions; hazmat teams responded and performed tests; by Thursday afternoon testing indicated no hazard and the lockdown was lifted.
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