A chiller on the auditorium roof that caused major inconveniences for the play, “Frankenstein,” was removed Feb. 13. Parts of the back stage were closed off before the problem was fixed because of safety concerns.

Almost 20 years ago, the chiller was used to control air conditioning in the auditorium area. It hasn’t been used since a renovation in 1992, so it’s not routinely inspected.

Contractors found the problem when they came to inspect the auditorium roof before starting repairs this summer. They determined the chiller had rusted support beams and that it wasn’t safe because it could fall through the roof at any moment.

“In the event that it would come through the roof or if it fell something might come down from the ceiling, they said don’t use this area,” business manager Eddy Campbell said.

Initially, Campbell and the contractors believed the chiller was still in use, which meant it would have to be removed, fixed and then put back in, Campbell said. It was finally determined that the chiller unit was no longer in use, but MCPS contractors said they still didn’t want anyone going into the hazardous areas of the auditorium.

“The county is always going to err on the side of caution to make sure no one gets hurt,” Campbell said.

The full back stage is now open for “Frankenstein.”