WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) Inspectors with a national architectural engineering firm have rappelled down Waterbury's iconic clock tower as they document repairs it may need.

The Republican-American newspaper reports the workers from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates spent part of Thursday hanging along each face of the 240-foot tower. They also have used drones to take a look at the tower's walls, identifying cracks and gaps in the masonry.

The newspaper is housed in the former railroad station that includes the tower. It hired the architectural engineering firm after an employee, using high-powered binoculars, noticed spalling on the upper level bricks.

The 109-year-old tower was last renovated 20 years ago.