A hazardous materials incident at the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, on March 20, forced firefighting crews to launch an investigation.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Department of Defense was implementing standard protective procedures, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area. He stressed that the Pentagon's sophisticated systems had detected an air quality issue, necessitating precautionary measures until the severity could be determined.
Arlington County Fire and Rescue announced on social media that its crews, including a hazardous materials team, were working alongside a task force from the Pentagon Police Department on the incident.
The Pentagon, covering 600,000 square meters, is the largest low-rise office building in the world and houses nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel each day. Detailed information was not immediately released.
