This undated photo shows an aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. (Defense Department)
The Pentagon is back to normal business operations after reports Thursday morning of an air quality issue in the building.
“Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman and a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said in a post on X at 1:31 p.m. “We express our sincere appreciation to the first responders for their swift actions to ensure the safety of all personnel.”
Around 11 a.m., the Pentagon executed a shelter-in-place after systems detected “an air quality issue.”
“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,” Parnell said in an initial statement. “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 Fire and EMS said in a post on X that Arlington (Va.) County Fire Department units, including the Hazardous Materials Team, were operating at the Pentagon in support of Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s Hazmat Team “during a hazardous materials incident.”
“Shelter in place continues in affected areas in the Pentagon until all clear is given,” the Pentagon Force Protections Agency said in a post on X around 12:30 p.m.
Officials did not say what type of hazardous materials or air quality issue the Pentagon dealt with.
Some offices did evacuate and are working from home, said two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
