When DeKalb County residents awoke to no stairs at their apartment complex Monday, they had two choices: stay inside until Thursday or jump down.

Residents of Maple Walk Apartments told Channel 2 Action News they were given little advanced noticed about the repair work.

“They were already taking the stairs down when we got the notice this morning,” resident Shawnta Tiller said.

Residents said they received an email last week telling them they needed to relocate, but they stayed when management used wooden beams to support the broken staircase, Channel 2 reported.

The rickety staircase had left Tiller with an arm injury.

“The right side of the stairwell collapsed,” she said. “It slammed me into the wall.”

Early Monday, residents heard the sound of the stairs being removed and a notice that said: “There will be no access to stairs until Thursday.”

Luckily, firefighters came to get residents down from their apartments.

“What if there was a fire, or someone hyperventilating ... or anything, any health problems,” resident Quintas Harris said.

The DeKalb Fire Marshal recommended residents caught in similar predicaments be proactive and not wait until an emergency occurs.

It is not known if the apartment complex will be cited.

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