WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioCrews investigating building collapse in Keokuk

Crews investigating building collapse in Keokuk

KEOKUK, Ia. (WGEM) - The morning commute in Keokuk was disrupted when a three story building came crashing down.

And there's still no indication on what caused the collapse of the Green Tambourine building at the corner of 6th and Main.

It took just a matter of seconds to change the look of Keokuk's Main Street.  The Green Tambourine building came crashing down just before eight Friday morning.

Keokuk Police Chief Tom Crew says, "The building imploded, except for the back portion of it was still there, upon my arrival at the building, it was creaking and moaning and debris was everywhere."

At first, there was some concern someone walking near the building may have been trapped in the rubble, but within two hours it was determined no one got hurt.

"I've been a police officer for 23 years. It's the first building of any size like this that's come down on its own that I know of like this. We're very, very fortunate we didn't have any property damage or loss of life associated with this," says Crew.

Not only is there now a gap along Main Street, but a piece of the city's history is gone.

The music store closed almost a decade ago, and the building has been vacant ever since.

But at one time it housed a clothing store and various other small businesses.

"It's a very old, old building...it's been here for most people's lives who've lived in Keokuk," says Crew.

Code enforcement officer Kathie Mahoney says the building had not been inspected in years because no one had shown an interest in putting a business back in the building.

But it still attracted a lot of attention because of its history.

"We did a walk through in the town last summer and there was some people who did historic stuff and they absolutely thought that building was one of the most historic," says Mahoney.

Work crews moved in Friday afternoon to demolish the part of the building that didn't collapse on its own.

WGEM spoke with the Barclift family, who ran Wright's Fashion from inside the building for 45 years.

They say they are saddened by the building's collapse because the building not only held alot of history and memories within the community, but within their family as well.