'Everything Just Went Down': Magnitude 6 Earthquake In California Nearly Destroys Mono County Flea Market
WALKER (CBS13) – Thursday's magnitude 6 earthquake in California shifted the roof of a Mono County flea market and nearly collapsed the building – but the owner says no matter what, this place isn't going anywhere.
Mono County sits on top of the Antelope Valley fault line. Thursday afternoon, that fault line ruptured.
"It felt like it lifted the building up and slammed it back down," said Victoria Victor, the owner of the Walker Flea and Farmers Market.
It didn't end there. The market, which was already at the epicenter of the quake, got hit again and again.
"At least 8 or 9 aftershocks," Victor said. "I was in my truck, my passenger door literally popped open."
She was terrified to go back inside.
"I didn't know what the building was going to do, so I wasn't going to stay in here at all," Victor said.
She guided us through the flea market to show us the damage.
"I was trying to pick up some stuff," she said. "Everything just went down."
Artists from around the world sell their work at the Flea Market.
"It's just a lot to try and call and tell them their stuff is messed up," Victor said.
The shock shattered art from India, Mexico, Lithuania and California.
"With COVID, everybody needs their paychecks and they really depend on it a lot," Victor said. "It just hurts my feelings that other people's stuff gets broken."
Desperate to clean up, Victor said the shattered glass can't help but bring back memories she hoped to forget.
"I was in the Loma Prieta," she said of the magnitude 6 quake in 1989. "My son's kindergarten class split in two. It was quite a long time ago. I never expected one like that up here."
Despite the scare, Victor will reopen her market's doors.
"I've got to breathe and keep the doors open," she said.
This flea market has a lot of history. It used to be a restaurant and before that, a bakery. Victor said there's so much love there, the community won't let this place go easily.
The community of Walker has had a history of disasters. Most recently, in November of last year, a major fire wiped out a lot of the town. It destroyed about 100 structures and killed a 69-year old woman.
In 2002, an air tanker broke apart mid-air. This happened right when firefighters were gaining ground on a wildfire there. The wings failed, snapping off, and that c-130 barreled into the ground. Three people on board died, including a crew member from Loomis.