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By Gabe Whisnant, Joshua Rhett Miller, and Amanda Castro
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The Pentagon on Thursday locked down multiple floors and evacuated others after internal systems detected a potential air‑quality issue—an alert that later proved to be a false alarm, with subsequent testing confirming no hazard and normal operations resuming, according to officials.
The evacuation was triggered when a Pentagon sensor system detected the possible presence of anthrax, according to first‑responder radio traffic and a source familiar with the incident. But the sensor system was malfunctioning, one source told CNN, causing the false alarm.
Multiple floors and corridors—specifically floors two through five in corridors four through seven—were locked down, and some offices in the affected area, including the Navy’s main public affairs office and the Secretary of the Army’s office, were temporarily secured. Police inside the Arlington, Virginia, building were seen wearing gas masks and full chemical protective gear, CNN reported.
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Officials initially described a “hazardous materials incident,” prompting immediate shelter‑in‑place orders and corridor‑level lockdowns across the massive military headquarters. The Arlington County Fire Department in Virginia said earlier that multiple floors and corridors had been secured as hazmat teams responded.
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Pentagon Says Air‑Quality Alert Triggered Standard Protocols
Ahead of the false alarm announcement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "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. 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."
Parnell later added in a separate statement to Newsweek: “Earlier this morning, Pentagon occupants were notified of a potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation. 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.”
Internal guidance from Pentagon security said that additional testing was required to determine the cause of the alert and that it could take one to two hours. Staff were told they might see response personnel from multiple agencies in the center courtyard and not to interpret the activity as evidence of a worsening threat.
Lockdown Comes Amid Heightened Military Readiness
About 25,000 people work inside the Pentagon on a typical day, including military and civilian employees and thousands of support personnel. The massive complex has 6.5 million square feet of office space, more than 7,700 windows and 17.5 miles of corridors, according to the Department of War.
The incident comes as the Pentagon plays a central role in coordinating U.S. military operations during an ongoing war with Iran, a period marked by heightened readiness across the armed forces. Officials have not indicated that the issue was related to any external threat.
Shelter‑in‑Place Order Remained Active at Midday
At 12:24 p.m., Parnell retweeted a post from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency that said that the shelter-in-place order was still in effect until further notice. Following subsequent testing, officials confirmed no hazard was present and lifted all restrictions, allowing normal operations to resume.
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