WASHINGTON – The Washington Post reports that a portion of the ceiling inside the Jefferson Memorial collapsed recently due to water damage.
No one was injured when the 5-foot-long section fell and National Park Service staff believe the chunk of limestone must have fallen during the early morning hours, the Post reports.
The park service believes that water loosened the limestone after entering through the roof above. Gutter problems are the root cause of the damage, according to the Post.
The park service could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.
In 2010 and 2011 the seawall between the memorial and the Tidal Basin was rebuilt at a cost of more than $12 million.