The IRS building in downtown D.C. was evacuated due to a hazmat situation for much of Friday morning.
The D.C. Fire and EMS Department said that an IRS worker came across “storage batteries used for backup purposes” that had overheated and leaked in the IRS Building, on Constitution Avenue in Northwest, at about 9 a.m.
The fire department said that the batteries can let off acid and fumes when they leak, and the IRS evacuated the building in an “abundance of caution.” The fire department responded and shortly before noon, said the situation was mitigated, leaving no further hazard.
Just before noon, an IRS representative said workers were heading back into the building.
No injuries have been reported.
Update Hazmat incident IRS 1111 Consitution Ave NW. #DCsBravest have mitigated the situation involving overheated backup battery supply and there is no further hazard. Left in hands of building maintenance. pic.twitter.com/LsecLsnxEI
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) September 6, 2019
WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report.
