The Tokitae was removed from service briefly on the Clinton-to-Mukilteo route Friday morning.

A Washington State Department of Transportation spokesman said the Tokitae had recently passed a fire sprinkler test, but crew aboard the vessel noticed residual dripping and wanted to ensure the system was working properly.

Passengers were never in danger, spokesman Ian Sterling said Friday. Dripping from the sprinkler system turned out to be part of its drainage.

“The drips turned out to be from residual water exiting through drain holes which is what they are there for,” Sterling said in an email. “Once this was verified, the vessel was immediately returned to service. Passengers were never in any sort of danger.”

The Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division, sent an email notice about the service change and loss of a ferry on the 6 a.m. sailing from Clinton at 6:20 a.m. According to the alert, sprinkler testing and cleaning was necessary. The route returned to two-boat service by 7 a.m.