Southern California Edison sues agencies and firms over Eaton fire

Southern California Edison filed lawsuits on Friday accusing government agencies and businesses of failing to warn residents and prevent the spread of the Eaton fire, while acknowledging that its equipment most likely started the blaze that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 buildings in Altadena.

In the filings the utility said Los Angeles County failed to clear brush that contributed to the fire’s intensity and that the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the county’s Office of Emergency Management did not issue timely evacuation warnings. The suits also name nearly a dozen businesses, led by Southern California Gas Company, which Edison said allowed gas to continue flowing during the fire.

Douglas J. Dixon, a partner at Hueston Hennigan representing Edison, said “ultimate accountability should be shared by everyone whose actions — and equally important inactions — made this disaster worse and contributed to it.” Counterclaims are common in wildfire litigation, but the company’s acknowledgment that its equipment probably ignited the blaze has been notable.

The Justice Department previously sued Edison in September, alleging failures to maintain power lines, and many victims and agencies have already brought suits citing stressed equipment data and video of sparks under lines. The exact cause of the Eaton fire remains under investigation by California officials, and county leaders have opened probes into evacuation and emergency response.

Key Topics

Business, Southern California Edison, Eaton Fire, Altadena, Los Angeles County, Southern California Gas