Fire destroys historic former Morrison Hotel in downtown Los Angeles

The former Morrison Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, known for its appearance on a Doors album cover, was destroyed by a fire on December 26. The building had been vacant for over 15 years and was intended for affordable housing. Firefighters responded to the blaze around 11 a.m. and found several people inside. The fire took nearly two hours to extinguish, with no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The building, constructed in 1914, had a troubled history, including past lawsuits over living conditions. It was recently purchased by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation for redevelopment, but construction had not yet begun when the fire occurred.