A video shot by an Eaton Canyon couple describes how the Eaton Fire quickly spread within minutes of igniting on a very windy night in the Altadena area.
Video shows flames near a power tower with an orange glow in the distance in the Eaton Canyon area on Jan. 7. Jeffrey Koo Koo and Cheryl Koo Koo said they watched in horror at the horrific scene just before the Eaton Fire spread during the Santa Ana storm, firefighters say was the worst they had ever seen. He said it was one of the fire weather conditions.
The couple has lived in a fire-prone area for 20 years.
“We saw the fire spread so quickly and because of how close it was to us, we knew we would be safely evacuated in just a few minutes,” Cheryl Khoo said.
The Eaton Fire broke out near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive around 6:18 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
Cheryl Koo said she was driving home from work on Highway 210 when she saw an eerie light in the hills northeast of Los Angeles. Kuss said the tower and power lines were completely engulfed in smoke and flames around 6:28 p.m.
Security camera footage showed the couple hurriedly evacuating.
Jeffrey Koo said, “It’s a nightmare, a horror movie.” “You would never want to see something like that. That tower is right near our house.”
At 6:41 p.m., Jeffrey Koo can be heard saying he was going to spray water on the roof of the house, according to the time code of the couple’s security camera footage. He said it was unlikely that water would fall on the roof because the winds were so strong.
That same wind pushed hot embers into the neighborhood.
“God, please save our home,” Jeffrey Koo can be heard saying in a video that captures the sound of the wind.
A drive through the areas of Altadena that were destroyed by the Eaton Fire shows the devastation the fires have wrought on communities. Annette Arreola reports on NBC4 News Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.
By 6:53 p.m., the Kuss and others had left the house surrounded by a frightening orange light. As the car pulled away from the house, Jeffrey Khoo could be heard saying “goodbye” in an anxious moment.
The couple evacuated safely along with their two dogs. They returned Wednesday to find their home still standing in an area devastated by the Eaton Fire.
The 14,000-acre fire destroyed thousands of buildings and is now 27 percent contained.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Cal Fire said.
SoCal Edison said in a statement Sunday: “As this incident may have met reporting requirements, including significant media attention and property damage in excess of $200,000, on January 9th, SCE “We have submitted the relevant ESIR. Additionally, the SCE has submitted a receipt.” Following a notice of preservation from attorneys representing insurance companies in connection with the fire, SCE conducted a preliminary analysis of electrical circuit information from four live power lines in the Eaton Canyon area. That analysis showed no blackouts or outages. Apart from preservation notices and media attention regarding the fire indicating possible SCE involvement, there were operational/electrical abnormalities from 12 hours prior to the reported time of the fire to more than 1 hour after the reported time of the fire. In that case, SCE would not have filed charges. This is ESIR. ”
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