Report: Several Pentagon Floors Evacuated Amid Suspected Hazardous Materials Leak

A suspected hazardous materials incident at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, led to a lockdown on several floors of the sprawling building, one of the largest office buildings in the world, while workers on other floors were ordered to evacuate.

Three sources familiar with the matter and the local fire department said that several floors and corridors inside the Pentagon were locked down and others were evacuated because of a “hazardous materials incident.” CNN reported that the lockdown was imposed on floors 2 through 5 of the building, and a person familiar with the details told the network that police there were wearing gas masks and chemical protective gear.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that systems inside the Pentagon “detected an air quality issue requiring precautionary measures until we determine its significance.”

“The department is carrying out standard protective protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area,” Parnell said. “Response teams are on site and ready to support the building’s occupants.”