Los Angeles County Files Lawsuit Against Southern California Utility Regarding January Fire
This wildfire is deemed the second-most destructive and the fifth-deadliest in California’s history, as highlighted in the lawsuit.
On March 5, Los Angeles County initiated legal action against Southern California Edison (SCE) and its parent company, Edison International, claiming that the utility’s equipment was responsible for the tragic Eaton Fire, which incurred response and cleanup costs amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars for the county.
Over 14,000 acres were scorched, approximately 9,400 structures were lost, and countless others were damaged. The fire devastated the unincorporated community of Altadena, obliterating county parks, a nature center, trails, and various community infrastructures, as reported by Los Angeles County.
Seventeen lives were lost, and numerous firefighters sustained injuries. The fire also impacted childcare facilities, a senior center, assisted living homes, schools, churches, a Jewish temple, and a mosque, displacing tens of thousands of residents.
The plaintiffs in this case include Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Flood Control District, and the Los Angeles Consolidated Fire Protection District, also recognized as the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The complaint mentions that witness accounts, along with photographs and videos, indicate that the fire ignited near an SCE transmission line in Eaton Canyon, close to Mount Markham and San Gabriel Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains within the Angeles National Forest, setting surrounding vegetation ablaze. It accuses the utility company of failing to de-energize its electrical circuits to mitigate wildfire risks during a Red Flag Warning.
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According to the lawsuit, “The Eaton Fire was not caused by an ‘act of God’ or any other force majeure. It was ignited by sparks emitted from high-voltage transmission lines, distribution lines, and other electrical apparatuses within EDISON’s infrastructure that ignited the surrounding flora.”
“EDISON was obligated to maintain and operate its electrical systems correctly, including any decommissioned equipment, yet it failed to do so,” the complaint asserts. “Moreover, EDISON had the responsibility to ensure that combustible vegetation surrounding its infrastructure was managed and to employ public safety power shutoffs during unsafe weather conditions, but it neglected these duties.”
The case was filed by County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison, who stated that the damages and costs sought include compensation for the loss of infrastructure, recreational spaces, parks, road repair, cleanup and recovery initiatives, as well as expenses related to flood and mudslide mitigation and workers’ compensation claims.
The lawsuit indicates that the total costs and damages incurred by the county due to the Eaton Fire and its remediation remain uncertain, but the estimated total could reach no less than hundreds of millions of dollars.
Brian Leventhal, a representative for SCE, informed The Epoch Times that the Eaton Fire is still under investigation and that the company remains committed to transparency in the matter.
“Our thoughts are with the communities affected by the wildfires in Southern California,” Leventhal stated. “We are reviewing the lawsuit recently filed and will address it through the appropriate legal channels. Our investigation is still in its initial stages.”
