‘Severe’ Pentagon lockdown sparks emergency response as hazmat teams sweep area

Certain areas in the Pentagon went on lockdown Thursday morning due to an “air quality incident,” Fox News Digital has learned. 

An alert, shared with Fox News Digital, carrying a “severe” rating was sent to employees in multiple corridors of the building directing them to shelter in place. All other personnel were told to avoid the area.

“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital. “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.”

A hazardous materials team is scrubbing several locations in the Pentagon’s A ring, the center-most location in the building, according to a Pentagon official. 

Approximately 23,000 to 27,000 people work in the Pentagon on any given day. 

Secretary Pete Hegeth’s office and chairman of the joint chiefs Gen. Dan Caine’s office are not located in the corridors placed under lockdown. 

Systems detected a problem with the air quality in that part of the building and a device picked up a biohazard scent, the Pentagon source told Fox News. Nothing has been found as of this writing.

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The Arlington, Virginia, fire department confirmed on X it sent its Hazardous Materials team to support the Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s Hazmat team with the incident.

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.