LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lawsuits filed Monday claim utility equipment sparked one of the two deadly wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area while some Pacific Palisades residents believe the other blaze may have started when hurricane-force winds reignited the remnants of an extinguished New Year’s Day fire.
Authorities haven’t determined an official cause for the fires, which roared to life last Tuesday and have killed at least 24 people. A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took the lead on the investigations.
Multiple lawsuits against Southern California Edison claim the utility’s equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire burning near Pasadena. Edison has acknowledged fire agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a far smaller LA-area fire that broke out the same day.
The Eaton Fire destroyed at least 7,000 homes and other structures and laid waste to entire neighborhoods. Attorneys representing homeowners who lost their homes said Monday that it is their belief that Edison’s equipment caused it. Video taken during the fire’s early minutes shows a large blaze directly beneath electrical towers.
“There is clear evidence from video footage, photographs, and witness accounts that the fire was caused by electrical equipment operated by Defendants Edison International and Southern California Edison,” according to one complaint, filed on behalf of Altadena resident Evangeline Iglesias.