Overview
- Fire erupted early Sunday at the Hollywood Center Motel on Sunset Boulevard, destroying the century‑old central house and damaging two adjacent bungalows.
- Firefighters rescued a 42‑year‑old man who had broken a second‑story window to escape; he was hospitalized in stable or fair condition and was not burned.
- Roughly 70 firefighters took more than an hour to knock down heavy flames, after which crews used excavators to tear down the unstable main structure.
- LAFD Arson is investigating the cause; a representative for the owner told SFGATE she suspects people staying on the property illegally, a claim not confirmed by officials.
- The blaze follows smaller fires in September and October and a 2025 demolition‑permit filing, with preservation advocates and the owner now surveying what, if anything, can be saved.