63 Were Atop Washington Monument When Elevator Failed
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Park Service says there were 63 people at the top of the Washington Monument when an elevator failed, not one person as the agency originally reported.
The park service said on Monday that just one person was on the monument's observation level when the elevator lost power on Sunday evening.
But on Tuesday, park service spokesman Mike Litterst corrected that number to 63. He says the initial report that a single person was at the top, and that no one was on the elevator, was based on a misleading text from monument staff.
Litterst says two employees were also trapped on the elevator and were rescued by staff after about 30 minutes. All but one visitor walked down the stairs to evacuate. That person was carried down in a chair.
The monument is still expected to remain closed until at least Thursday.
(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
