Police Car Blocking off a Block of Congress Street Late This Afternoon.

Fire Truck on Congress Street in Front of the Library with the Just Lit Christmas Tree in the Background.

The Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square,  shut down about one-half early this afternoon due to a malfunctioning sprinkler system.  Around 4:30 this afternoon an alarm went off inside the library.

One library patron who preferred to remain anonymous said her first thought there was an active shooter in the building, but then she was assured that was not the situation.

In fact, one of the sprinkler system heads had frozen because of the recent spell of cold weather.  When the cap came off, an alarm went off.  Authorities were in the process of shutting off the alarm so they could repair the sprinkler head – which is fragile.

From outside the Library, the alarm could not be heard.  It is expected to reopen on Monday.