Sweet lord, this is nasty stuff: A staircase collapsed in a west downtown building this morning, injuring two officials with the Downtown Developmet Corp. (not a city agency, WHAS-11) and the building owner.

Newly minted DDC chief Alan DeLisle, director of project development Patti Clare, and building owner Paul Bariteau are in the hospital now, after falling a reported three stories and landing under piles of debris. A fourth person was helped out of a higher-up window on the scene.

News reports vary, but at least one says DeLisle is in serious condition, Clare is in critical condition and Bariteau is stable.

DDC has seen some controversy lately because, as a pseudo-government agency, it receives some 80 percent of its budget from taxpayer money but is not required to maintain the same openness as other government agencies. DeLisle, who arrived here Feb. 1 from Durham, N.C., spoke to LEO recently about his new gig.

Check out Mayor Abramson’s statement after the jump: Mayor Abramson’s statement:

“My thoughts and prayers are with Patti Clare and Alan DeLisle and their families. This was a terrible tragedy – and Patti and Alan were doing what they love, working with a property owner to redevelop this beautiful historic building on Main Street.

“Patti is a longtime leader in Louisville who has a passion for downtown – and Alan, though new to our city, has quickly impressed me with his knowledge and ideas for continuing our downtown revitalization. I am hopeful for their quick recovery.

“My thoughts are also with property owner Paul Bariteau and his wife, Carolan.”