Tragedy Strikes: The Photographer of The Doors’ Iconic ‘Morrison Hotel’ Cover Loses Everything to Fire

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Admirers of the iconic Los Angeles rock ensemble The Doors are honoring the former Morrison Hotel in downtown following the building’s destruction in a considerable blaze.

The four-story edifice on Hope Street was ablaze for nearly two hours on Thursday before more than 100 firefighters managed to subdue the flames.

The Morrison Hotel became renowned after The Doors showcased it on the cover of their 1970 album, “Morrison Hotel.”

The album cover depicts the band – vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger – positioned beneath the “Morrison Hotel” sign on the building’s window.

“It was sort of a magical occurrence, you know? The way that album cover came about,” remarked Henry Diltz, who captured that legendary image. “They dashed in and just got behind the window in perfect alignment, we didn’t need to say a word, and I just started shooting. It’s incredibly sad because it’s such a historic venue. It possesses a rich history.”

One year prior, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation revealed it purchased the property for $11.9 million with plans to transform the building into low-income housing.

The future of the structure lies in the hands of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, according to the LAFD.

The origin of the fire is still unknown.

City News Service contributed to this article.