‘Morrison Hotel’ made famous by The Doors destroyed in Los Angeles fire

The former Morrison Hotel, made famous by The Doors and their 1970 album of the same name, was severely damaged in a fire that broke out in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday (December 26).

The four-story building, which has been vacant for more than a decade, burned for nearly two hours before more than 100 firefighters brought the blaze under control, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Morrison Hotel appears on the cover of The Doors’ fifth album. Famed music photographer Henry Diltz took the photo in 1969 and said years later that it took a bit of skill to pull it off.

A hotel clerk told the band they weren’t allowed to take photos inside, but as the clerk walked away, the band ran into the lobby and Dilts quickly snapped a photo looking through the window, with legendary frontman Jim Murray in the center Sen.

“It’s a great old wood-frame building with lots of little rooms upstairs where passers-by and drinkers can sleep on a little bed for $2.50 a night!” Dilz told consortium Press Friday. “I think the beautiful red letters that say ‘Morrison Hotel’ on the front window are the best part! Same for the door!

The album was seen as a return to The Doors’ roots and came on the heels of Morrison being arrested on stage at a concert in Miami and convicted of indecent exposure and profanity.

Morrison and The Doors to release final album los angeles womanOn July 3, 1971, he was found dead in a bathtub in Paris.

Los Angeles firefighters first arrived at the fire Thursday and found intense flames on the top floor of the building.

Several people inside the building escaped without injury, including three people rescued by firefighters from the third floor, according to the department. The building’s roof collapsed and its structural integrity was called into question, the department said.

In recent years, the building has been used as a training facility for firefighters.