SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- The Red Cross said it is helping nearly 60 people following a three-alarm fire that gutted some apartments attached to a historic lodge in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The famed Brookdale Lodge in the small town of Brookdale about five miles north of Felton, known for its colorful history of celebrity guests and rumors of being haunted, was the site of the fire that started at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Cal-Fire said the blaze started in some apartments at the back of the lodge and spread to the surrounding area.

Firefighters said they don't know what sparked it, but a hotel worker said it appears to have started in a vacant room. 27 units were destroyed and five firefighters suffered minor injuries battling the blaze, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Scott Jalbert said.

Officials said the same building was damaged by a fire several years ago.

Located on Hwy 9 between Saratoga and Santa Cruz, the original lodge was built in 1890 at the site of the Grover lumber mill. In the early 1920's, Dr. F.K. Camp built the beautiful dining room with the natural brook running through it.

A feature in Ripley's Believe It or Not served to make the Brookdale Lodge world famous. Throughout the years, the Brookdale Lodge has hosted a number of notable guests including movie stars, music celebrities and a U.S. President.

Over the last several years, the lodge at the inn has become a popular stop for touring musicians while drawing hundreds of fans to the rustic site.