Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : No Damage as Tile Hits Lincoln Statue

A 2-by-3-foot marble panel on the ceiling of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington fell on the famed statue of Abraham Lincoln, causing tiny scratches in the head and neck area but resulting in no noticeable damage. The panel was apparently loosened by an off-duty employee and a half-dozen friends walking on the memorial’s roof for a view of the city. There were 10 to 20 tourists inside the monument when the incident occurred and officials said the marble tile, falling from the ceiling 60 feet above the floor, could have caused a serious injury had someone been hit. The stately, 19-foot-high statue of a sitting Lincoln is one of the Capital’s prime tourist attractions. It was closed for about an hour while Park Service rangers determined the cause and cleaned the area.