Fire destroys 11 tiny homes, damages 4 others at Veterans Affairs campus in West Los Angeles

WEST LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Nearly a dozen temporary shelter homes for veterans were destroyed by a fire overnight Thursday on the campus of the Veterans Administration property in West Los Angeles.

Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded shortly after midnight to the 11300 block of West Wilshire Boulevard, where they found several of the structures engulfed in flames, officials said.

Eleven homes were destroyed in the fire and four others were damaged by heat, smoke and water, an LAFD spokesperson said. Officials initially said 15 tiny homes were destroyed.

No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished in approximately 20 minutes.

Investigators determined the fire was caused by overheated lithium batteries, the Fire Department said.

The incident caused $110,000 in damages to structures and $55,000 worth of damage to content, according to the LAFD.

The American Red Cross was assisting affected residents.