Famous Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ Goes Up in Flames

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timberline lodge firefighters on scene

One of the nation’s most famous hotels featured in the Stanley Kubrick film, “The Shining,” went up in flames Thursday night – but luckily firefighters put out the blaze before it could spread and destroy the Oregon landmark.

Timberline Lodge — better known as the Overlook Hotel from the 1980 horror classic starring Jack Nicholson — was once again shot by camera crews, but this time TV news outlets filmed a small inferno that erupted in the attic of the 55,000 square foot building.

Last evening, fire crews responded to the hotel and ski resort about 60 miles from Portland after employees called in the emergency and directed guests to congregate in safe places.


For 2 hours, firefighters doused the flaming roof with water under windy conditions, bringing the serious three-alarm blaze under control before midnight. No injuries have been reported.

Local officials said the flames were contained to just the roof and the attic, but the ski area would still be closed Friday. Preservationists removed pieces of art and furniture sprayed by fire hoses to maintain and safeguard what they deemed “historic assets.”

Investigators have not come up with a cause for the fire but theorized flying embers from a chimney might have ignited it.

The lodge opened in 1937 and became a part of Hollywood history when Kubrick — the late legendary director – filmed exterior shots of the structure seen at the beginning of “The Shining,” which was based on the Stephen King book. Other shots of the hotel also made the final cut of the scary flick.

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