Three lawsuits were filed Monday accusing Southern California Edison of starting the Eaton Fire. The Eaton Fire is one of several deadly fires that broke out during historic storms last week and destroyed hundreds of homes.
Lawyers for Altadena-area homeowners announced the lawsuit Monday, saying their clients either had to evacuate their homes in the Eaton Fire or lost their homes entirely. The lawsuits blame the utility companies because the fires occurred under an Edison transmission tower in Southern California. The official cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
“We believe the Eaton Fire was caused by SCE’s failure to shut off power to overhead power lines that cross Eaton Canyon,” said Richard Bridgeford, an attorney representing local homeowners. Ta.
Two other lawsuits filed Monday, one on behalf of a FedEx employee who lost his Altadena home and the other on behalf of several Altadena homeowners, make similar claims. be.
Jeff Monford, a spokesman for the utility, said the company is aware of the lawsuit but has not yet been served.
“SCE will review complaints as they are received. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.” “Our hearts remain with our communities during Southern California’s devastating fires and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.”
The utility company said in a statement that it does not believe its transmission tower was the cause of the fire. The Eaton Fire is being investigated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
According to a report in the Times, the California Fire Marshal’s Office has sealed off the power transmission tower where the fire appears to have started.
The lawsuit points to Southern California Edison’s responsibility for other wildfires and the fact that the fire started under a transmission tower as evidence that the company’s power lines were the cause of the fires, but experts says it is too early to draw conclusions.
“It looks bad for Edison. But do we know? There’s a difference between looking bad and knowing. And we just don’t know yet,” says the director of Stanford University’s Climate and Energy Policing Program. Director Michael Walla said.
The Eaton Fire began burning around 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 7, and early footage and photos taken by residents and shared with the Times showed the fire burning directly beneath an Edison transmission tower in Southern California. is shown.
The fire destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed 17 people, but is still only 33% contained.
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