The historic Los Angeles building featured on the cover of a 1970 album by iconic rock band The Doors was damaged in a fire Thursday, officials said.
The blaze added to the decay of the four-story structure in downtown known for its lodging long ago under the name Morrison Hotel, which shared band leader Jim Morrison’s family name.
The “Morrison Hotel” album cover featured a photo of the band members, including hell-raising frontman Morrison, with the hand-painted name of the hotel framing them. The release was no hitmaker despite reaching No. 4 on Billboard’s album chart in 1970.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement that the historic building on South Hope Street was “destroyed.” Its account of the more than 90-minute blaze details the building’s decay and notes the 1914 Beaux Arts structure was red-tagged sometime before the blaze. It was used for firefighter training during its more than 15 years of abandonment, the department said.
LAFD spokesperson Margaret Stewart said Friday that fire department arson investigators and police detectives from the Major Crimes Division are investigating the cause, but their involvement was not necessarily an indication arson is suspected.
The investigation was customary and staffed this way “due to the nature of the fire,” she said.
Several dozen people evacuated from different levels inside the otherwise off-limits building and firefighters helped three more escape, the LAFD said in a statement. Stewart said no bodies were found during a subsequent search, and no injuries were reported.
Los Angeles County records show the property changed hands in 2023, following a proposal to redevelop it into 420,303 square feet of residential, lodging, dining, and drinking space, according to the city.
The E-shaped building is eligible for the California Register of Historical Resources, but may not have what it takes for the National Register of Historic Places because of alterations, according to a city historic resources file.
According to the oft-repeated story of the album‘s cover, a hotel clerk rejected the band’s request to take a photo but Henry Diltz got the shot when the clerk left his station temporarily. The back cover featured a nearby bar that was then called the Hard Rock Cafe.
The LAFD said the immediate viability of the structure is in the hands of the L.A. Department of Building and Safety.
