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Washington Monument closes for repairs after elevator stops at 280 feet Washington Monument closes for repairs after elevator stops at 280 feet
(35 minutes later)
The Washington Monument closed Tuesday afternoon after its elevator stopped at 280 feet, more than halfway up to the 500-foot observation deck, a spokesman for the National Park Service said. The Washington Monument closed Tuesday afternoon after its elevator stopped at 280 feet, more than halfway up to the observation deck at 500 feet, a spokesman for the National Park Service said.
The Park Service spokesman, Mike Litterst, said that at the time of the malfunction, there were 19 people in the elevator and about 23 who were at the observation level. He said the visitors — and park rangers — were safely evacuated without incident. The spokesman, Mike Litterst, said that at the time of the malfunction, around 2:50 p.m., there were 19 people in the elevator and about 23 who were at the observation level. He said the visitors — and park rangers — were safely evacuated using the stairway within the monument without incident. There are 897 steps in the stairway from top to bottom.
Litterst said in a press release Tuesday that elevator technicians are on-site and that the monument will remain closed until they finish an inspection and “any necessary repairs are completed.” Litterst said in a news release Tuesday that elevator technicians were at the site and that the monument will remain closed until they finish an inspection and “any necessary repairs are completed.”
Last month the monument closed for repairs after an elevator control box was damaged by a worker. It reopened Feb. 23. The monument was also closed last summer after back-to-back elevator malfunctions. Last month, the monument closed for repairs after an elevator control box was damaged by a worker. It reopened Feb. 23. The monument was also closed last summer after back-to-back elevator malfunctions.
In 2011, the monument was closed because of damage by an earthquake. The repairs, done mostly to the masonry, took three years, and the monument reopened in the summer of 2014.In 2011, the monument was closed because of damage by an earthquake. The repairs, done mostly to the masonry, took three years, and the monument reopened in the summer of 2014.