A woman from Southern California who lost her home in the wildfires devastating the region has filed a lawsuit claiming that a local utility company, Southern California Edison, is responsible for the inferno that destroyed her longtime residence. Evangeline Iglesias alleges that the utility company failed to heed warnings and shut down its power equipment, leading to the Eaton wildfire that engulfed her Altadena house. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, points to the Eaton Fire, one of three wildfires still burning in the area, which has scorched over 14,000 acres and destroyed nearly 2,000 structures, according to CalFire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As authorities continue to investigate the wildfires that have claimed lives and devastated communities, residents forced to evacuate have raised concerns about the role of utility companies. Iglesias’ lawsuit is among the first of many expected to hold utility companies, particularly Southern California Edison, accountable for the wildfires. The lawsuit presents eyewitness accounts and images suggesting that the fire originated at the base of a transmission tower owned by the utility.
According to Iglesias’ attorney Ali Moghaddas, the utility company had knowledge of severe weather conditions and could have taken steps to reduce the risk of wildfires but failed to do so. In response, a spokesperson for Southern California Edison expressed condolences for the communities affected by the fires and defended the company’s safety practices.
Southern California Edison, which serves around 5 million customers in the region, employs a team of meteorologists and fire scientists to monitor fire risks and determine when to shut down equipment to prevent disasters. The company’s outage map shows thousands of customers without power due to wildfire risks, with additional shutoffs under consideration. Resources and tips for coping with outages are available on the company’s website.
Iglesias’ lawsuit alleges that the fire that destroyed her home began at the base of a utility tower that had not been deactivated despite dangerous conditions. The lawsuit includes a photo showing flames around the tower base shortly after the wildfire started, as well as witness statements indicating the fire originated under the power lines.
The monitoring company recorded over 300 instances of faults, disturbances in the network caused by tree limbs touching live electrical wires or wires touching each other, in the hours leading up to the conflagration. These faults indicated that power was still flowing through the lines despite numerous warnings, including a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning predicting winds of up to 100 mph amid highly flammable conditions.
Monford reiterated that fire agencies are actively investigating the cause of the fire. However, some individuals are attributing the Eaton fire to Edison. Iglesias and Jeremy Gursey, residents who lost their homes in the Los Angeles area fire, have taken legal action against the utility for allegedly sparking the fire. Court documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court detail the claims, asserting that the company neglected to shut down its power lines despite the perilous conditions. Additionally, photographs captured just after the fire began depict flames engulfing a utility tower and posing a threat to the surrounding area.
In another lawsuit, Michael Kreiner holds the utility responsible for the destruction of his rental property during the fire. The law firm, McNicholas & McNicholas, has been contacted for a copy of the lawsuit, awaiting response.
Shareholders of Southern California Edison have experienced financial repercussions following the outbreak of the fires. Edison International, the utility’s parent company, witnessed a significant decline in stock price, plummeting nearly 12% to $57.24 on Monday. Since the fires ignited last week, shares have decreased by approximately 27%.
The CEO of Edison International addressed the ongoing investigation into the fires during a TV interview on Monday morning. Pedro Pizarro noted that the company had not identified any electrical anomalies from its equipment around the time the Eaton Fire originated. He explained, “It’s pretty typical you see those when you have a spark coming from equipment,” while also acknowledging the need to further examine the lines closely.
Contributing to this report: Thao Nguyen; Reuters.
This article was first published on USA TODAY: Eaton fire, among LA’s wildfires, blamed on utility company in lawsuit.
