DEKALB COUNTY, GA (WSB/CNN) – Firefighters rescued several people trapped on the second floor of a Georgia apartment building after the apartment complex removed the stairs.
Crews removed the stairs, the only way in and out of several homes on the second floor of a DeKalb County, GA, apartment complex, Monday.
"This is crazy. How can you cut off access to the stairs and everybody's in their apartments?” resident Andre Williams said.
Several residents were stuck upstairs with no way to get down. They say they woke up to find crews removing the stairs and a notice that said they would have no access to them until Thursday.
"You can't lock everybody up here. We feel trapped. There could be a fire. How are we supposed to get down?" resident Shawnta Tiller said.
Firefighters brought in a ladder to rescue the trapped residents.
Some residents say management warned them last week via letter. They were asked to vacate while crews fixed the shaky stairs that partially collapsed during Memorial Day weekend.
"It just collapsed. I slammed up against the wall. I hit my arm on the other side. Just horrible,” Tiller said.
Tiller says she and her neighbors decided to stay in their apartments after management used wood beams to support the staircase.
The fire marshal could not reach the apartment management but says the complex could get cited for code violations.
The repair crew plans to be back Tuesday to finish the job.
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