Washington Monument Top Cracked By Quake

WASHINGTON — The National Park Service says engineers have found a crack near the top of the Washington Monument presumably caused by a magnitude-5.8 earthquake that shook the East Coast.

Park service spokesman Bill Line said Tuesday night that structural engineers found the crack where the 555-foot landmark narrows considerably.

He says the monument will be closed indefinitely to keep the public safe.

An outside engineering service will study the crack on Wednesday.

The 91,000-ton monument is made of Maryland marble.