Los Angeles Wildfires Lead to First Round of Lawsuits Against Utility Companies
Multiple lawsuits alleging negligence by at least two public utilities in Southern California are bringing attorneys representing those impacted to court as deadly flames continue to rage in Los Angeles.
A lawsuit filed by McNicholas & McNicholas, Becker Law Group, and Singleton Schreiber accuses Southern California Edison of contributing to the 14,000-acre Eaton fire that destroyed Altadena neighborhoods before spreading to other communities by neglecting to maintain power lines and other equipment.
“This goes beyond a failure of responsibility; it is gross negligence in an area highly vulnerable to wildfires, especially with well-documented weather alerts and high wind risks,” Patrick McNicholas, an attorney at McNicholas & McNicholas stated. “We are committed to holding Southern California Edison accountable for their alleged negligence and to seeking justice for victims who have lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones.”
SoCal Edison refuted the assertion that the fire was caused by its equipment in an incident report submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission, stating that there were “no interruptions or electrical or operational anomalies until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.”
“To date, no fire agency has suggested that SCE’s electric facilities were involved in the ignition or requested the removal and retention of any SCE equipment,” SoCal Edison stated in its report.
The distribution lines just west of Eaton Canyon “were de-energized well before the reported start time of the fire” as part of SoCal Edison’s public safety power shutoff policy, the company added in a statement last week.
“Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time,” according to the SoCal Edison spokesperson.
Separately, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is being sued by over a dozen victims of the Pacific Palisades wildfire, which was the most catastrophic fire in LA history. The victims claim that the fire’s destruction was exacerbated by water delivery difficulties.
The complaint against the LADWP, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of local residents and a pizzeria owner in the affected region, argues that the largest municipal utility in the nation ought to have maintained water in the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which it claimed had been depleted for about a year.
“The water supply system servicing Pacific Palisades failed miserably, leaving residents and firefighters with little to no water to fight the blaze,” said plaintiffs’ lawyer Roger Behle in a statement on Tuesday.
LADWP justified the lack of water pressure by pointing to “unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support” in its defense of the water system. Although the utility “immediately deployed water tankers” to support the firefighting efforts, several hydrants in high elevations were impacted.
According to a statement from the utility, LADWP is starting its own inquiry “about water resiliency and how we can enhance our posture to respond to the impacts of climate change.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the flames in the Los Angeles region had burned over 60 square miles, damaged over 12,000 buildings, and claimed the lives of at least 25 people. According to officials, the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which are by far the biggest, are still burning uncontrollably.