LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Six people escaped from a fire early Monday morning at a Louisville nightclub near Churchill Downs. 

The fire in the two-story, 9,500-sqiare-foot building was reported just before 6 a.m. at the Showgirls nightclub in the 3400 block of Taylor Boulevard, according to Maj. Bobby Cooper, battalion chief with the Louisville Fire Department. 

Cooper said crews were sent to the location after "calls came in from bystanders who saw fire in the building." Crews arrived on scene within two minutes "and found heavy fire coming from what appeared to be the attic. We assume from that, that in all likelihood that's where the fire originated."

Video and images provided by the Louisville Fire Department showed flames shooting from the roof of the structure before dawn. 

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters found six people inside, who were able to exit the building on their own, Cooper said.

"We don't even know if they were aware the fire was burning at the time," he said.

Cooper wasn't sure who was in the building or why they were there at the early hour. 

After the occupants were safely outside, crews shifted to a defensive attack. Cooper said it is standard procedure to search for people inside burning structures even if they are reported vacant. 

"We always assume there's occupants inside a building," Cooper said. "So even when a building is considered to be vacant ... you have homeless populations who seek shelter inside vacant buildings so we initiate those search and rescue missions no matter what the condition of the building is."

It took 30 firefighters about an hour and 15 minutes to bring the fire under control, according to a post on the Louisville Fire Department's Facebook page. 

It's not known yet whether the building will be considered a total loss, but Cooper said it suffered "extensive damage" and it may have been two or three different buildings in the past. 

Cooper said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and lightning has not been ruled out as thunderstorms moved through the area overnight. The arson unit is investigating.

"They consider any and all possibilities so along with surveillance footage, and along with interviewing bystanders and property representatives, they'll also look at weather patterns and potential lightning strikes," Cooper said.

LG&E crews were called to scene to shut power off to the building to ensure the safety of firefighters. 

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