Exclusive | Chaos at celeb-packed Chateau Marmont as chunks of roof plunge toward diners

Guests at the celeb-packed Chateau Marmont ducked for cover Saturday as parts of the roof began falling into the outdoor dining area as high winds swept through the area.

Diners — including “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen — were stunned when a slate and a huge piece of gutter plunged toward them during brunch service at the ritzy Los Angeles hotel.

One woman suddenly jumped up and held the gutter in place to stop it falling on her female companion, while others whipped their heads around after hearing the huge bang.

Staff were quick to move diners nearest the scene further into the courtyard and could be seen cordoning off tables near the building.

It came during a chaotic brunch at the luxury 97-year-old celebrity hangout, where glasses were smashed behind the bar and emergency helicopters circled overhead amid a blaze on the hillside nearby.

“It was chaos. Bits of the roof suddenly started falling and we all started quickly trying to finish our food and get out,” one witness told the Post.

“The waiters looked shocked and didn’t really know what to do, but quickly moved a table away from the building after the gutter almost hit her.”

Halfway through morning brunch, a slate fell off the roof and landed just feet away from the table of three before staff rushed over to investigate.

Around five minutes later a huge crash was heard as an 8-foot piece of guttering slammed down on top of a heater and had to be held up by a guest.

Staff raced over to the table and grabbed the metal pipe, quickly moved diners to a free table in the courtyard area.

One worker could be heard muttering: “What the f—k is happening?”

The Post contacted the Chateau Marmont for comment.

Baron Cohen, who was sitting around 20 feet away from the commotion on his own and wearing a flat blue flat cap, looked up and watched on in horror before returning to his phone.

To add to the chaos, later in the day a bartender accidentally swiped a number of glasses off the counter, creating a huge crash.

Throughout service witnesses said helicopters could be heard buzzing overhead and fire engines sped past as a blaze broke out on the hillside above the hotel.

Plumes of smoke could be seen rising above the Trousdale Estates throughout the morning as crews worked to contain the flames.

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Chateau Marmont has become one of the most popular hangouts for LA’s celebrity elite, with Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney often spotted there.

But it has gained a reputation for being as one reviewer branded it “perfectly imperfect,” amid complaints about repairs to plumbing, heating and cracked tiles in the pool and restaurant.

The hotspot has a history of secrecy surrounding its famous guests, with them trusting it as a place they can party without sparking headlines.

People secretly had affairs, took drugs and licked wounds from botched relationships at the inn. They also broke societal barriers.

In 2004, fashion photographer Helmut Newton died after losing control of his car while pulling out of the Chateau’s driveway.

That same year, rumors flew that actors Benicio del Toro and Scarlett Johansson had hooked up in a hotel elevator after the Oscars. More recently, stars have been kicked out of the Chateau for their bad behavior.

After winning at the Screen Actors Guild awards in 2006, Heath Ledger was surreptitiously filmed using cocaine on the hotel’s front balcony. The actor died of an overdose two years later.

Britney Spears reportedly was banned in 2007 for boorish table manners, while Lindsay Lohan was booted in 2012 after not paying her $46,000 tab.

In 2019, Jay-Z and Beyoncé threw an Oscars bash in the Chateau’s garage redone to resemble a luxe lounge.

Revelers such as Jamie Foxx, Rihanna and Leonardo DiCaprio feasted on caviar and swigged Ace of Spades champagne.

The hotel has been immortalized in numerous songs, including Lana Del Rey’s “Off to the Races”, films, such as “La La Land” and books, “The Big Nowhere” by James Ellroy.

Built in 1929, the Chateau was modeled on an actual castle in France’s Loire Valley, the Chateau D’Amboise, a onetime home of Mary, Queen of Scots.

It was originally an apartment building but, by the 1950s, had evolved into a hotel that functioned as what Levy called “an open city. It was Casablanca.”

The Post has asked the Chateau for comment on Saturday’s incident.