Pentagon lifts lockdown after air quality alert proves false

The Pentagon briefly went into partial lockdown on Thursday after a severe alert warned employees about a possible air quality issue in several corridors of the building. Staff were told to shelter in place while others were told to stay away from the affected area. Officials later said testing found no hazard, and the order was lifted by early afternoon Eastern time. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the response was precautionary and that normal operations resumed after the allclear. A hazmat team checked several locations in the Pentagon's A ring, and the Arlington, Virginia, fire department also sent support. The incident affected part of the building that houses about 23,000 to 27,000 workers on a typical day, while senior defense offices were located outside the lockdown zone.