SoCal Edison lawsuits claim series of missteps made Eaton Fire more deadly

ALTADENA, Calif. -- Southern California Edison has filed lawsuits accusing Los Angeles County, section h2o agencies and the Southern California Gas Company of a bid of missteps that the inferior says made past year's Eaton Fire much deadly.

The inferior filed cross-complaints successful Los Angeles Superior Court connected Friday against Los Angeles County, Pasadena Water and Power and 5 different h2o agencies, KABC-TV reported. SoCal Edison besides filed a abstracted tribunal ailment against SoCalGas.

The occurrence that ignited connected Jan. 7, 2025, killed 19 radical and destroyed much than 9,400 homes and different structures. It took firefighters astir a period to extinguish the blaze, which scorched 22 quadrate miles (57 quadrate kilometers).

The origin remains nether investigation, but grounds suggests 1 of the utility's idled powerfulness lines mightiness person sparked the fire.

SoCal Edison claims successful the lawsuits that Los Angeles County agencies failed to nonstop timely evacuation warnings to residents successful eastbound and westbound Altadena. Eighteen of the 19 radical who died successful the occurrence lived successful westbound Altadena.

Los Angeles County declined to remark astir the latest tribunal filings.

The inferior besides claims h2o agencies, including Pasadena Water and Power, did not supply capable h2o arsenic the occurrence spread, leaving firefighters with constricted resources.

In a abstracted tribunal filing, SoCal Edison blames SoCalGas, claiming the state inferior did not statesman wide shutoffs until 4 days aft the occurrence started. SoCal Edison says state leaks and gas-fed fires helped substance the blaze.

SoCalGas said it is reviewing the ailment and volition respond done the judicial process. Meanwhile, Pasadena officials rejected SoCal Edison's claims, saying the metropolis believes the utility's instrumentality caused the fire.

SoCal Edison is facing 998 lawsuits from occurrence victims, insurers and authorities entities. The U.S. Department of Justice has besides sued the institution implicit harm to National Forest land.