Officials say 37 families were displaced after five balconies collapsed Tuesday morning at an apartment building in Long Beach.

The incident happened at 223 Shore Road around 7:30 a.m.

The building dates back to the 1940s. The balconies that collapsed directly face the ocean, and residents say they have been complaining about them buckling. A neighbor took photos of the balconies before the collapse, showing cracks in the floor and crumbling bricks.

Building owner Carmine Tepedino says he was only notified about the problem a couple of weeks ago. Repairs started last week on the entranceway, he says, and the balconies were up next.

Long Beach officials ordered all balconies removed from the building before anyone is allowed to move back.

City officials say they did not receive any prior complaints regarding the building. They add that there is no history of violations, and that the crews doing repairs had the proper permit.