17 families forced from apartments without warning

Seventeen families forced out of their apartment building tonight!

The reason: huntsville city officials say they're not safe in their own homes!

Huntsville community development employees say they had to condemn "sunday river apartments" on bob wallace avenue because of an electrical issue - that could take weeks to fix.

Waay 31's casey albritton is live there with how residents are responding- every resident here tells me they didn't receive any notice from apartment management that their homes were being condemned-- they say they got home this afternoon and saw this sign on the door-- now residents are either staying with family members or getting a hotel room tonight.

Families packing up belongings-- and emptying refrigerators , as they get ready to leave thier homes.

Rakita sconiers/ resident "we had to throw all our groceries away.

That's money down the drain.

Now a lot of folks are having to relocate and they don't have anywhere to relocate to."

This is the reality for many families at sunday river apartments.

Traci watkins/ resident "i don't understand.

Like what am i going to do?"

Employees with the city of huntsville say management of the complex called huntsville utilities about an electrical issue on monday- and power had to be shut off on tuesday.

Traci watkins/ resident "i didn't even know that we had an electrical issue."

City officials say it could be a couple weeks before the issue is fixed--so the community development department deemed it unsafe to live there.

Rakita sconiers/ resident "one through seventeen has a do not enter condemned sign."

While resident, rakita sconiers, has family nearby to stay with, traci watkins doesn't.

Traci watkins/ resident "the only thing that i could do is quit my job is quit my job and go back home."

And as residents spend the night packing up their cars their only thought is when can they return home.

Traci watkins/ resident "i'm just so upset right now."

Residents say management has not contacted them about helping them find a place to stay--but red cross is assisting.

City officials say equipment parts to fix the electric issue won't be delivered until next week.

Live in huntsville, casey albritton, waay