Photo: DANIEL SLIM / AFP / Getty Images
Multiple areas inside the Pentagon were evacuated and locked down Thursday (June 11) after an air quality alert triggered precautionary measures, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. Parnell said that systems detected a potential issue and staff are taking steps to determine if there is any danger, requiring some corridors and floors to be cleared for safety.
The Arlington County Fire Department said its Hazardous Materials Team was dispatched to the Pentagon.
"ACFD units, including our Hazardous Materials Team, are currently operating at the Pentagon in support of PFPA’s Hazmat Team during a hazardous materials incident," the department wrote on X.
The ongoing situation remains fluid, and Pentagon officials say they will update the public as more information about the air quality issue becomes available.
The incident comes as the United States faces heightened security concerns due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The war has resulted in missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. interests abroad, as well as recent fatalities among American soldiers stationed in the Middle East. U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide have been placed on high alert, and the State Department has issued warnings for Americans overseas to exercise increased caution.