Elevator glitch shuts down Washington Monument – again

The Washington Monument was shut down Wednesday for the second time in four days because of an elevator malfunction that left a lone employee trapped inside and forced more than 80 people to walk down nearly 500 feet of stairs in a grueling summer heat wave, according to a National Park Service spokesperson.

Mike Litterst said there was a "service interruption" on the elevator shortly before noon, bringing it to a halt between the 490- and 500-foot levels.

There were no visitors on board and the lone employee was extricated. A total of 84 visitors were walked down the stairs, he said.

Litterst said the cause of the malfunction is unknown and the popular tourist site will remain closed pending inspection by service technicians. The elevator has broken down four times this summer, including twice this past weekend when a electrical short-circuit  left 135 people stuck at the top of the 555-foot monument, WJLA-TV reports.

After repairs, the monument was reopened on Monday.

The marble obelisk has been closed 24 times since it reopened in May 2014 after repairs for earthquake damage in 2011.