Lawsuits claims utility’s equipment sparked devastating Eaton Fire, but investigation still ongoing
LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Lawsuits filed Monday allege utility equipment started one of two deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area, while some Pacific Palisades residents believe the other blaze may have started when hurricane winds reignited the remains of an extinguished New Year’s fire.
Authorities have not yet determined an official cause for the fires, which sparked last Tuesday and led to at least one death 24 people. A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took the lead in the investigation.
Multiple lawsuits against Southern California Edison allege that the utility’s equipment caused the deadly Eaton fire burning near Pasadena. Edison has acknowledged that fire departments are investigating whether their equipment may have caused a much smaller fire in LA that broke out the same day.
The Eaton Fire destroyed at least 7,000 homes and other structures and devastated entire neighborhoods. Attorneys representing homeowners who lost their homes said Monday they believe Edison’s equipment caused it. Video taken during the first minutes of the fire shows a large fire directly beneath electrical towers.
“There is clear evidence from video, photographs and witness statements that the fire was caused by electrical equipment operated by defendants Edison International and Southern California Edison,” according to a complaint filed on behalf of Altadena resident Evangeline Iglesias.
Gabriela Ornelas, a spokesperson for Edison, said the utility is aware a lawsuit has been filed but has not yet reviewed it. “Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them during this difficult time,” she said.
Last week, Edison filed a report with the California Public Utilities Commission regarding the Eaton fire, saying it had not received any suggestion that its equipment was involved in starting that fire. “A preliminary analysis by SCE of electrical circuit information on the energized transmission lines passing through the area 12 hours prior to the reported fire start time shows no interruptions or electrical or operational abnormalities until more than one hour after the reported fire start time. start time of the fire. fire,” the utility company reports.
Edison also filed a filing with the utility commission regarding the Hurst fire in Los Angeles’ Sylmar neighborhood that started last Tuesday. The utility said “a downed conductor was discovered at a tower” near where the fire started.
But the utility added that it “does not know whether the observed damage occurred before or after the start of the fire.” That fire burned more than 2.6 square kilometers and is now under control.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out on New Year’s Day at the same location as the January 7 fire that ripped through Pacific Palisades and grew into the most destructive in Los Angeles urban historyis a particular source of interest for residents who witnessed both fires.
Asked about speculation that remnants of the Jan. 1 fire were reigniting in Pacific Palisades, LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Monday that no causes have been ruled out.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported a wildfire in the Pacific Palisades area shortly after midnight on January 1. The initial report was 3 to 4 acres (1.2 to 1.6 hectares) of heavy brush burning under 15 mph winds. Water-dropping helicopters and firefighters on the ground battled the blaze, which grew to 8 acres, and was reported under control less than five hours later, according to reports on the department’s website.
Residents say the wind-swept fire that swept through that community started at the same location as a fire sparked by fireworks shot off just after midnight on New Year’s Day. The day’s hurricane-force winds could have helped ignite the remaining embers. Officials did not directly attribute the Jan. 1 fire to fireworks.
“I still think it’s too coincidental that it would be in almost exactly the same place. The fireworks went off that evening. The firefighters were there,” said Sue Pascoe, a resident who lost her home and owns the neighborhood news website Circling the News, which has been writing about its connection to the New Year’s Day fire since it started Jan. 7.
The official investigation could take months, and with high winds forecast again, the area is at risk of more fires, which could further complicate efforts to determine the cause.
Ginger Colbrun, a spokesperson for the ATF, said it is too early to determine the cause of the Palisades fire. Colbrun said investigators conducted an initial assessment of the area on Friday and began processing the scene on Monday.
Pacific Palisades resident Robert Trinkkeller said he saw the fire early on New Year’s Day and saw planes dropping water on it.
When he saw the fire break out on Jan. 7, Trinkkeller said he immediately thought there was a connection.
“In my opinion it was a resurgence of the six-day old fire,” he said. “It’s exactly the same place.”
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Associated Press writer Amy Taxin contributed from Santa Ana, California.