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Department of Defense spokesman says ‘shelter-in-place order’ given after air quality issue detected.
Published On 11 Jun 2026
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”.
Further details were not immediately available.
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.
