May 14, 2002	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 1, 1423

WASHINGTON, May 13: Hundreds of people were evacuated from a section of the Pentagon on Monday as a precaution after sensors in place since the Sept 11 attack detected a chemical smell that was believed to be paint stripper, a spokeswoman said.

“It’s just a strong odor. Sensors have picked up what they consider a volatile organic chemical,” Cheryl Irwin, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said.

“They are doing work right underneath that area in the steam pipes in which they are using paint stripper, and that’s what they believe it is,” she said. —Reuters