A brief fire broke out inside the Australian Federal Police national headquarters in Barton, Canberra, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) said ACT Fire and Rescue crews responded to an automatic fire alarm at the Edmund Barton Building at around 3:30am.
Upon arrival, firefighters located a faulty lead-acid battery that had failed and sparked a small fire. While there is no structural damage to the building, the blaze generated a large volume of smoke that affected parts of the building.
"Fire and Rescue are working with battery technicians to remove the affected batteries and ensure the area is safe. They will continue ventilating the building and monitoring air quality for some time," an ESA statement said.
An AFP spokesperson confirmed the alarm was triggered shortly after 3am on June 11, 2026.
"ACT Policing and ACT Fire and Rescue remain on site, and traffic diversions may be in place around the building at Barton," the spokesperson said.
"There is currently no disruption to any AFP operations or capabilities. Further information will be provided at an appropriate time."
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