Famed Upstate New York Hotel That Inspired 'Dirty Dancing' Is Destroyed by Fire

Stephanie Wenger
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

A famed resort that served as the inspiration for Dirty Dancing was consumed by a fire nearly 35 years after the film premiered.

On Tuesday, firefighters responded to a blaze at a building that was part of the since-abandoned Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel in Liberty, N.Y., according to a Facebook post from the Liberty Fire Department.

"While en route, multiple calls into Sullivan 911 reported a large structure on fire at the old Grossinger's Hotel property," the post read. "A smoke column was now visible for several miles. First arriving units had to cut through a gate in order to access the roadway to get to the fire. Upon reaching the fire it was found to be a 3 ½ story building that was now well involved."

RELATED: 'Dirty Dancing' Sequel Director Says Movie Will 'Introduce This Story to a Whole New Generation'

The efforts of the firefighters were hampered due to concrete barriers on the property and the foliage being overgrown, according to the post.

The fire was brought under control after "several hours" and an excavator was used to knock down the structure, authorities stated. An investigation into the fire at the former hotel is ongoing.

RELATED VIDEO: Famed Upstate New York Hotel That Inspired 'Dirty Dancing' Is Destroyed by Fire

Prior to the fire, most of the beloved resort had already been torn down after falling into disrepair.

The Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel was a popular vacation destination for many Jewish families before its closing in 1986, according to the Associated Press. The resort was also the backdrop for Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' wedding in Sept. 1955, the outlet reported.

RELATED: 'Dirty Dancing' 's Jennifer Grey Is Set to 'Return to Kellerman's' in Sequel: 'Next Chapter'

Eleanor Bergstein, the screenwriter of Dirty Dancing, opened up about her childhood vacations at the resort and how they inspired the 1987 film at a 2021 event at the Center for Jewish History.

https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFireDepartmentNY/posts/pfbid02nnzK248YeLFbe7z8EUzJmLAGiQgedHgayQT3AuqhypSbb3z8Ufz9B4pFApdzPt7Jl Liberty Fire Department tpdonSreso2l0 a af A u5 y : 3 e d M 18t Y 5 1 3lh 3 r i49 t 16 1 e s 48 g0114t1 t 6 a · At 7:10 PM Tuesday evening the Liberty FD was dispatched to an unknown type fire in the area of Route 52 and Sullivan Ave. While enroute, multiple calls into Sullivan 911 reported a large structure on fire at the old Grossingers Hotel property. A smoke column was now visible for several miles. First arriving units had to cut through a gate in order to access the roadway to get to the fire. Upon reaching the fire it was found to be a 3 ½ story building that was now well involved. Firefighters were additionally hampered due to the property being overgrown and concrete barriers on the roadway which prevented apparatus being able to quickly turn around. Mutiple mutual aid Depts were requested to to the scene with tankers. Over a 1000 feet of 5 inch Hose was laid from the fire back down a hill where tankers were able off load water. Liberty FD Tower Ladder 17-41 was put in operation for several hours to bring the fire under control. At the request of Town of Liberty Code Enforcement, an excavator was brought into the scene to knock down the structure once the fire was out. The cause of the Fire is currently under investigation by the NYSP and Sullivan County Bureau of Fire. Liberty FD and mutual Aid Depts operated on scene for approximately 6 hours. Assisting Mutual Aid Depts on scene were White Sulphur Springs, Loch Sheldrake, Swan Lake, Livingston Manor, Hurleyville, Neversink, Kauneonga Lake and Woodridge. Monticello FD stood by at Liberty covering calls for Liberty and WSS and responded to 2 other calls. EMS stand by was provided by Mobile Medic Ambulance. Liberty FD would like the all agencies and depts for their assistance in this incident. Chief Mark Johnstone 17-1

Liberty Fire Department

"My parents would hit the golf course and I would just go to the dance studio as a little girl," she said. "On Thursday night champagne hour I would come out and do all these mambos and things."

In Dirty Dancing, Baby (Jennifer Grey) is a teenager whose life is changed after she meets sexy, enigmatic dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) at an upscale Catskills resort, Kellerman's, during the summer of 1963.

Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing

Vestron/Kobal/Shutterstock Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing (1987)

RELATED: 15 Things You Didn't Know About Dirty Dancing in Honor of the Film's 34th Anniversary

In April, Lionsgate announced that Grey will return "to Kellerman's in the next chapter" in the highly-anticipated sequel to the 1987 romantic dance drama, Deadline reported.

According to the outlet, the film, also titled Dirty Dancing, "will be a coming-of-age romance centered on the experience of a young woman at the summer camp, but Baby's own journey will intertwine with this to create a multi-layered narrative."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The film's director Jonathan Levine said the late Patrick Swayze's character, Johnny Castle, will be "part of Baby's journey in the story."

"This film exists in a dialogue with the original," he revealed. "We want to introduce this story to a whole new generation. That said, Johnny's absence looms large over the story, so it's a coming-of-age story but also a coming-of-age for Baby's character in a way."