Firefighters on scene at Pentagon during ‘hazardous materials incident’

Firefighters are investigating a hazardous materials incident at the Pentagon, the sprawling facility that houses the US Department of Defense, according to authorities.

In a statement on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the “department is executing standard protection ⁠protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area”.

“The Pentagon has sophisticated systems to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants,” Parnell said.

“Those systems have detected an air quality ⁠issue necessitating precautionary measures ⁠until we determine its significance.”

In a post on X Arlington County fire and rescue said its “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 600,000 square meter Pentagon is the world’s largest low-rise office building. Nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel work at the facility each day.