Safety complaints about a Macon apartment complex have forced the Bibb County fire department and code enforcement department to evacuate the complex due to several water and electrical issues.
According to a news release from the county, a thorough review of Crystal Lake Apartments was conducted based on recent safety complaints and the lack of water and electricity to several of the buildings. Based on the issues discovered, a mandatory evacuation of the tower and mid-rise is being enforced The evacuation affects about 70 residents for an indefinite period of time.
“The electrical and life safety systems in these buildings have been disabled and cannot be repaired in a short amount of time, making them unsafe for people to occupy,” said Fire Chief Marvin Riggins. “Until those systems can be repaired, we can’t open the building.”
The fire department has been in contact with apartment management and has made them aware that the buildings are to have no one in them except workers correcting the issues.
“We found water pooled around the electrical systems and the exterior stairs are no longer safe to be used,” said Business Development Services Director Ricky Fuller. “Our inspectors will monitor the repairs as they happen.”
The buildings will remain closed until the fire department and code enforcement have inspected the repairs and deemed the buildings to be safe.
“We’ll be encouraging people to seek out friends and family they can stay with while these repairs are being made,” said Emergency Management Agency Director Spencer Hawkins. “For those people unable to find a place to stay, they can go the Salvation Army Headquarters at 1955 Broadway.”
“We are making this decision to make sure people are in safe and warm accommodations, and to make sure repairs are made before anyone is allowed to occupy these buildings again,” says Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert. “We know this move will be hard on families, but we would rather they be inconvenienced than injured.”
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