COBB COUNTY, Ga, — Safety concerns about a stairwell at a Marietta motel prompted the fire department and city officials to investigate the problem.
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The Marietta Fire Department closed the stairwell at the Extended Stay Hotel along Northwest Parkway after firefighters discovered a metal plate that is used to cover the bottom of the steps hanging from the stairwell.
“It did through the course of wear and tear and age, just fall. It was very fortunate that there was nobody on the stairs at the time that it failed,” said Jason Garner, Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal for the Marietta Fire Department.
Out of an abundance of caution, fire crews closed the stairwell off.
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Assistant Chief Garner and a city building department official building department visited the property the following day to look into the problem further.
“Determined that that stairwell would have to remain closed to the public,” Garner said.
The stairwell will remain closed until the property owner gets a structural engineer to asses the problem.
“That cosmetic plate that was placed along the bottom of the stairs, probably the welds had failed. It doesn’t serve for any structural stability that we were able to discern,” Garner said.
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Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell reached out to the property management group but hasn’t heard back.
“An engineering report or other documents have not been submitted to the City’s Building Division regarding the stairwell at this property. Once plans are submitted, staff will review them to ensure all codes are met,” said Rachel Langelotti, Project Manager for the city of Marietta.
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