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Nearly 60 people were displaced from the Purcellville East apartment complex Oct. 29 after Loudoun County Department of Building and Development issued an emergency unsafe-structure order.

Nearly 60 people were displaced from the Purcellville East apartment complex Oct. 29 after Loudoun County Department of Building and Development issued an emergency unsafe-structure order.

Residents on the second floor of each of the six buildings were evacuated, impacting a total of 24 units. All but two of those units are currently occupied, according to Jacob Bull, acting director of emergency management for Loudoun County. Residents of the first-floor units were not impacted.

Officials were alerted to the situation at the complex, located at 110-120 N. 16th St. in Purcellville, after a call for service on Oct. 25. When Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded, a section of the stairs collapsed, according to Loudoun County Fire Marshal Joshua Hottle. Follow-up inspections confirmed that the stairs in all the buildings are unsafe.

“The issues are focused on the stairwells primarily at this point,” he said. “In the event of an emergency the residents would not be able to evacuate.”

The county is housing residents in hotels in Leesburg until repairs can be made. The hotels are pet-friendly, and Loudoun County Animal Services was prepared to assist with pets not able to go to the hotels.

Residents were given time to gather belongings such as clothing, pet food and medical supplies before being asked to leave. Transportation was provided for residents that needed assistance.

Deputy County Administrator Danny Davis said generally the property owner is responsible for alternate housing in this type of situation. However, in this instance, Davis said, the county is taking it over because of a lack of response from the property owner.

There is no current timeline for when residents can return to the buildings.

On a walk around the complex, residents pointed out additional issues at the buildings, including holes in the side that go all the way inside the unit, black mold, laundry machines in need of repair, and other issues with heating and air conditioning.

Ana Heremic, who babysits several children in the complex, is concerned about when they will be able to return to their homes.

“We are wondering what is going to happen," she said. "We don’t know how long we have to stay away and how much to pack. I feel like it shouldn’t have taken someone from emergency services for something to be done about these apartments, in Loudoun of all places.”

Elizabeth Ford, executive director and founder of the Purcellville-based nonprofit BetterALife was alerted to the situation by a resident around 1 p.m. on Oct. 29, she said. Ford works with residents daily at her nonprofit, providing meals and other services. She has been aware of maintenance issues at the complex for at least five years, she said.

She said residents are afraid to complain because they are worried the property management will evict them.

She has tried to reach out to the property owner and has met with the mayor and other town officials to help find a resolution, but nothing has been done, and the situation continues to deteriorate, she said.

“I’ve been reaching out for help for years,” she said. “The residents are tired of dealing with it. I’ve sent numerous messages asking for help. These children deserve more. It breaks my heart and this should never happen.”

When she heard about the evacuation notice, she went to the complex to help answer residents’ questions so they would have a familiar face to help them through a difficult situation, she said.

She has arranged meals for residents while they are staying in hotels. Gift cards for food and transportation will also be provided, and donations are welcome, she said.

Ford said many of the residents walk to their jobs in Purcellville, so transportation will be an issue until they can return home.

“I’ve known this is coming,” she said. “At least something is finally being done about it. I talk to these folks every day. They are scared to death they will not be able to come back home. But they are also scared to speak up.”

The landlord, William Fekas, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Karen Graham has worked at the Times-Mirror for over 15 years. Follow @loudountimes on Instagram or on Facebook. You can contact Karen at Kgraham@loudountimes.com