Towering Inferno

One of L.A.'s ghost towers -- the Sunset-Vine Tower, best known as the collapsing skyscraper in the cheesy 1974 disaster flick "Earthquake" -- suffered another fire earlier today.

According to KCBS, the blaze began shortly before 4 p.m. at the top of the 18-story structure, sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky. The building, adorned with banners, was being renovated and was unoccupied, said Fire Department Battalion Chief Ralph Terrazas.

Built in 1963, this skinny 20-story building-- at the corner of Sunset and Vine, natch-- was the first skyscraper built in the city after Los Angeles repealed its 14-story building height limits.

More recently, it was also home to the 360 restaurant/bar, which offered up amazing views of the city from the building's top floor, and several radio stations. But it's been shuttered since Dec. 6, 2001, when an electrical room in the basement was destroyed by fire. The Tower was evacuated, and hasn't been occupied since.

By the way, the top of the Sunset-Vine Tower was also the secret home of the transmitter of legendary Silver Lake pirate radio station KBLT -- until the FCC caught on and shut it down.

(Photo credit: KCBS/KCAL)