Eaton Fire Victims Sue Southern California Edison, Alleging Equipment Sparked Blaze

Attorneys representing Eaton Fire victims filed a lawsuit on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging the wildfire was started by Southern California Edison equipment.

The complaint alleges the explosive fire, which destroyed thousands of structures and killed at least 11 people, started when Southern California Edison failed to de-energize its overhead wires despite a red flag wind warning.

Utilities may cut off power to certain areas when there are high winds combined with dry conditions.

“Based on our review of the videos and photos and eyewitness testimony, all the evidence is pointing to two transmission towers and a distribution pole in this area in Eaton Canyon,” said Brian Sutter, an attorney with Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian, the firm that filed the lawsuit. “That’s where we believe the fire started.”

The complaint references videos, like one posted to Instagram by Altadena resident Jeffrey Ku, that appear to show fire beneath transmission towers in Eaton Canyon, as well as news articles featuring residents who witnessed fire beneath SCE’s towers. Four total lawsuits were filed Monday, according to reporting in the Los Angeles Times.

“Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time,” said Gabriela Ornelas, a Southern California Edison spokesperson.

“SCE understands that a lawsuit related to the Eaton fire has been filed but has not yet been served with a complaint. SCE will review the complaint when it is received,” Ornelas continued. “The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation.”

The utility submitted a report to the California Public Utilities Commission on Jan. 9, saying it had no evidence that its equipment started the massive blaze. SCE wrote that it issued the report “out of an abundance of caution” due to significant media attention, major property damage and notices from insurance companies that seek to preserve evidence about the fire’s possible origin.

Officials are investigating whether SCE’s equipment started a different Los Angeles fire, the company said in a separate report submitted to state regulators. The utility said it detected an issue in its systems around the time the Hurst Fire, in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, broke out.

SCE discovered a downed power line in the area but is not sure whether that damage “occurred before or after the start of the fire.”

The utility said it is cooperating with fire agencies in the ongoing investigation. The Hurst Fire, at just under 800 acres, is one of the smaller fires burning in Los Angeles County and is nearing full containment.