LOUISVILLE, Ky. --
Police and emergency crews were at the scene of a building collapse in Butchertown.
The collapse was reported about 4 p.m. at Story Avenue and Webster Street.
Firefighters said no one was injured, although there were residents inside units adjacent to the portion that collapsed.
"I've never been in an earthquake, but it's what I would think an earthquake would feel like. I just felt the whole building moving," said Bobbie Rushing, who was inside her apartment, adjacent to the portion of the building that collapsed, when the collapse occurred.
Rushing said she was inside, on the phone with her mother, when it happened.
"I told my mom, 'I think my building's collapsing.' So she was freaking out," Rushing said. "I just came running down the stairs and saw this smoky dust."
When the dust cleared, she saw 1401 Story Ave. leveled. Rushing said she wasn't altogether surprised.
"I knew there was a possibility this might happen just because someone had told me that the bricks were in really bad shape and it could collapse," Rushing said.
But firefighters said the cause remains a mystery.
"We're not able to, for lack of a better word, dig in to really find out what may have started it," said Sgt. Sal Melendez, with the Louisville Metro Fire Department.
That's because firefighters said they feared the initial collapse could trigger further tremors and bring down the rest of the building. So workers were initially kept away from the scene.
Some said the collapse of the historic, 140-year-old building is a tragedy.
"This building means a lot. It's my childhood," said Tom Merta, as he looked at the debris.
And for Merta, each brick brings back a memory.
"It was my grandmother and grandfather's property and me and my siblings spent so much time here," Merta said.
His grandparents used to own an antique shop in the part of the building that collapsed. Seeing their former store crumble was almost too much for him to take.
"To see this happen to it -- it's unbelievable," Merta said.
The building's owner said he was renovating the portion that collapsed. He said he found structural damage to an interior wall and tried to get approval to put in temporary supports while the renovations were being completed. But he said his request was denied.
Firefighters said a demolition team will be dealing with the collapsed portion of the building.
The rest of the building may eventually need to be demolished as well because there is a concern that other parts of the building could collapse.
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