False alarm apparently triggered hazmat response at Pentagon, sources say, as employees await all-clear
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Multiple floors of the Pentagon were locked down for several hours on Thursday due to a potential air quality issue, prompting a shelter-in-place order and evacuation of some areas.
- Hazmat crews, including the Arlington County Fire Department's hazardous materials team, responded to the incident alongside the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.
- Subsequent testing confirmed that the air quality concern was a false alarm, and no hazard was found, allowing normal operations to resume.
- Pentagon personnel were instructed to move in-person meetings to virtual formats and remain sheltered in corridors 4, 5, 6, and 7 on floors 2-5 during the incident.
- The Pentagon's sophisticated detection systems initially triggered precautionary safety measures until the situation was fully evaluated and cleared.