Dec. 24 (UPI) -- About 3,000 Sydney residents were forced out of a new 34-story apartment building Monday after they heard cracking noises, officials said.

Police said the Opal Tower apartment building moved a fraction of an inch on the 10th floor, leaving some people trapped in their apartments because the shifting floor caused their doors to jam. The building is four months old.

Several roads and a nearby train station were closed as a precaution.

Displaced residents will likely have to find other places to stay for Christmas, including an evacuation center.

"[We're using] laser building movement monitors [there now] to determine if there's any movement," New South Wales Fire and Rescue acting Supt. Greg Wright told Australia's ABC.

The building was built by Ecove as part of a mixed-use development. Ecove spokesman Mark Abraham said the building was assessed by the "relevant authorities."

"We are aware of the concerns that have arisen with the Opal building and confirm that the builder has been notified," Abarham told ABC.

The evacuees had to leave their belongings, including Christmas gifts.

"I wouldn't want to go in there and get the belongings if it wasn't deemed safe," one told the The Sydney Morning Herald. "I wouldn't even get the car. We spoke to people in the building and they got told to evacuate ... they thought it was a fire."