Washington Monument temporarily closed

Due to repeated electrical problems with the elevator, the Washington Monument will be closed for the rest of Thursday. It is not immediately clear when it will re-open. According to officials from the National Park Service, no visitors were allowed inside the monument and no one was on the elevator or observation level when the problem was first discovered. Park service officials stated in an e-mail that the monument would “re-open as soon as possible.” No exact time frame was given for the repair work. Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service, added that a contractor who regularly services the monument was on site during the day.