"A possible presence of anthrax" was detected by sensors, but it was later determined to be a false alarm caused by a malfunction.
An air quality issue detected at the Pentagon on Thursday morning prompted a shelter-in-place order and the deployment of hazardous materials (hazmat) response teams. The incident, which involved a partial lockdown of the building, is under investigation.
Incident Details
According to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, the building's internal systems detected an air quality issue, triggering standard protection protocols. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the affected area as a precautionary measure.
An internal emergency message indicated that additional testing could take one to two hours, and that response teams were positioned and ready to support building occupants.
Sources familiar with the incident reported that the lockdown affected multiple floors and corridors in the building. Specifically, floors two through five in corridors four through seven were affected. Police in the building were observed wearing gas masks and full chemical protective gear.
The sensor system detected a possible presence of anthrax, but the alert was later determined to be a false alarm caused by a sensor malfunction, according to sources familiar with the incident. Only essential personnel were in the building at the time, per a Pentagon official.
Response Coordination
The Arlington County Fire Department reported that its units, including the Hazardous Materials Team, were operating at the Pentagon in support of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's (PFPA) Hazmat Team during the incident.
Background
The Pentagon is the world's largest low-rise office building, with approximately 30,000 military and civilian personnel working there daily. As of the reports, further details regarding the nature of the air quality issue have not been released by authorities.