A hotel that features heavily in the Twilight films has been damaged by a fire.
The View Point Inn, in Portland, Oregon, which has become a tourist hub for teen enthusiasts after being used as the place for the prom scene in the vampire blockbuster, had its top floor totally burned after it was engulfed by flames.
The landmark is now going through closure after its operator said he could not cover the costs to refurbish it. The fire was noticed by two Twilight fans who have been visiting the area on Sunday but after they brought up the alarm. Inn employees failed to get it under control with a backyard hose. Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly Later on but by the moment the flames were doused the building had been badly ruined. Owner Geoff Thompson said he was uncertain whether the insurance they had would cover the damage. He said they had recently filed for bankruptcy and would not be able to finance repairs.
He told KATU.com: ‘I love the Inn, but I can’t do it by myself any more. If Oregon wants this inn and if people want this inn, everybody’s going to have to join in and save it because I just can’t do it my myself.’
Co-owner Angelo Simione added: ‘It just went up in smoke, and what was strange is it started low on the roof. It was not up at the top at all.’
Authorities said the fire was caused by sets off from the masonry landing on the cedar roof. A wedding had been scheduled for the afternoon at the hotel but guests were sent home after the fire. ‘This is devastating,’ onlooker Betsy Lee said. ‘This is such a landmark. It’s very sad.’
Twilight fans were devastated by the damage to the landmark. Stephanie Marie Mcconaghy-Holman said: ‘This is so very sad.’
Kristin Solheim added: ‘It’s always sad when Twilight landmarks are destroyed, but at least it wasn’t completely destroyed.’
The View Point Inn is the setting for the famous Twilight prom scene in which Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, is escorted to the party by vampire love interest Edward Cullen, played by British heartthrob Robert Pattinson.
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