RESIDENTS have fled an apartment complex after 24 hours due to a deadly discovery made by city officials, but some claim the problem was preventable and landlords did nothing.

In North Providence, Rhode Island, about four miles northwest of downtown Providence, tenants at Canterbury Village were baffled after receiving notices they had one day to leave the premises.

City officials and the local fire department deemed the property unlivable after discovering exposed asbestos and structural problems in a communal hallway on Monday.

Tenants were immediately given until 3pm on Tuesday to pack up their items and leave to avoid any health issues related to the problem of asbestos and faulty structuring.

North Providence Assistant Fire Chief John Horan described the situation as “deplorable” while speaking with CBS News affiliate WPRI.

“It’s just not a safe environment at all,” he explained.

On Tuesday, the 3pm deadline was extended to 8pm, and residents could be seen frantically filling their cars with clothes and personal belongings.

Others had rented U-Haul trucks and lined them up outside the complex.

Several told the news outlet that they had plans to stay with family and friends during the interim period of finding a new place to live, but many were left with nowhere to turn.

North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi later noted in an announcement that those displaced by the eviction would be provided temporary accommodation.

The American Red Cross was also brought in to assist the transition.

Horan’s investigation of the damage to the apartment complex on Monday came after a burst pipe several months earlier in February.

The fire chief explained that the problem caused significant deterioration of the building over time, resulting in several other safety hazards, including asbestos.

An egress corridor was also “severely compromised.”

“It looks more like a construction site than [condominiums],” Horan told WPRI.

He added that the evictions are “all about the safety of these residents.”

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Mayor Lombardi also added that he was informed parts of the ceiling in one area of the property were missing.

The flaw could present a serious fire hazard, according to what the mayor explained in a press conference regarding the situation.

“It doesn’t take that long for a catastrophe to happen,” Lombardi noted, adding that a fire could reach the entire building in about 15 minutes with its structural problems.

He also echoed Horan’s sentiments about the forced eviction being served for the safety of the residents.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but God forbid something happened,” Lombardi said.

“This isn’t right and it’s not fair, but the town can’t just sit back and allow this to happen.”

The mayor also called out the complex’s owners, Vista Management, for allegedly neglecting to make repairs after they were required in February.

“We couldn’t get them to cooperate,” he claimed.

“We had to take them to court, and then they agreed to hire an architect, but they still haven’t done that.”

Several residents also spoke out about their surprise and struggle with the sudden eviction.

Tenant Janet Clark called the move “not feasible” as she held back tears while speaking with WPRI.

“Even if you could find a moving company, it wouldn’t happen in 24 hours,” she added.

Richard Wessen, who’s lived at Canterbury Village for three years, agreed with Clark.

“In my opinion, this is very inhumane,” he told the outlet.

Mayor Lombardi claimed that Vista Management should face criminal charges for the alleged neglect of repairs.

“Let me be blunt… They should be arrested,” he said.

The U.S. Sun contacted Vista Management for a second time for an official comment on the accusations, along with Franklin Square Management, a related company.