KTLA

Venice homeless encampment fire spreads to vacant building; no injuries reported

Authorities did not report any injuries after a fire at a homeless encampment near Venice Beach spread to an empty commercial building early Wednesday.

Some 116 firefighters managed to extinguish the flames at 723 S. Ocean Front Walk about 2 hours and 17 minutes after the blaze was reported just before 7 a.m., according to the L.A. Fire Department.

The fire started at an encampment on the south side of the nearly 70-year-old, 6,952-square-foot structure, briefly threatening two other nearby structures, the Fire Department said.

“Any contents within the heavily damaged and now unstable fire building have yet to be identified,” the Fire Department said.

Officials provided no further information about what might have ignited the fire, which remains under investigation.