The Region - News from April 15, 1987

A once-opulent hotel in Ontario was destroyed by a fire that broke out shortly before noon and continued to blaze for more than five hours. The two-story brick structure in the 200 block of East Holt Avenue, formerly known as the Ontario Hotel and renowned as a stopping place for celebrities en route to Palm Springs during the 1920s, had fallen on hard times and had been ordered closed because of Fire and Building Code violations. Its last tenant departed last week, and Ontario Fire Department Inspector Bruce Erickson said it was believed to be empty when the fire broke out. Sixteen fire companies from Ontario and four surrounding cities fought the flames through the afternoon. No injuries were reported, and Erickson said the cause of the fire is under investigation.