Photo by philliefan99The elevator that goes to the top of the Washington Monument malfunctioned at about 1 p.m. this afternoon, with a number of tourists who had already reached the viewing area still inside the building.
National Park Service spokesperson Bill Line said that visitors who were already at the 500 foot level of the monument are being given a choice of walking down with the assistance of NPS rangers, or remaining at the top until the elevator is repaired. No one is actually stuck inside the malfunctioning elevator at this time, which according to Line is now at the bottom of the monument awaiting repair. No injuries have been reported.
As for anyone who had tickets to visit the Washington Monument this afternoon, Line admits they “may be inconvenienced.” The National Park Service does not allow anyone to walk to the top of the monument. Line said that as soon as the elevator can be repaired, it will be operational again.
