LA County, Pasadena sue SoCal Edison over Eaton Fire damages

PASADENA, Calif. - Los Angeles County and the City of Pasadena both filed lawsuits Wednesday against Southern California Edison (SCE), seeking compensation for extensive damages to property and infrastructure caused by the Eaton Fire in January.

What we know:

The Eaton Fire burned over 14,000 acres, destroyed approximately 9,400 structures, damaged over 1,000 structures, and claimed 17 lives. 

Key municipal assets throughout the city, including police facilities and critical water management infrastructure, were severely damaged.

The lawsuit cites SCE's own regulatory filings, which acknowledge electrical system anomalies coinciding with the fire's ignition time and location. 

The city claims that a "fault was detected" on SCE's transmission circuit at the time and place the fire began. Photo evidence submitted with the filing supports these claims.

The utility has already been targeted in multiple lawsuits by residents blaming the company for sparking the fire.

Dig deeper:

The filing details extensive damage to several key municipal assets including, among others:

• Pasadena Police Department’s Advanced Officer Training Facility
• Pasadena Municipal Assistance, Solutions, and Hiring (MASH) building and fleet
• Critical water management infrastructure including storage tanks

The lawsuit outlines how weather forecasts in the days preceding the fire had repeatedly warned of extreme fire danger, with the National Weather Service issuing progressively stronger advisories culminating in a Red Flag Warning on the morning of January 7, when winds reached extreme levels.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Another lawsuit claims SoCal Edison equipment started Eaton Fire
• Eaton Fire cause: New video appears to show origin of deadly blaze, attorneys say

The complaint includes claims for inverse condemnation, negligence, trespass,  nuisance, premises liability, and violations of Public Utilities and Health & Safety Codes.

It addresses both direct fire damage and the subsequent costs of managing post-fire environmental hazards, emergency response, and infrastructure restoration.

What they're saying:

"The destruction of public facilities essential to Pasadena’s operations requires significant investment to restore and rebuild," said Lisa Derderian, Public Information Officer for the City of Pasadena. "While our restoration efforts continue, we have a responsibility to pursue appropriate compensation for the costs of rebuilding the public infrastructure our community relies upon."

"Our focus remains on the full restoration of services to Pasadena residents and businesses," Derderian added. "By working collaboratively with neighboring jurisdictions, we can more effectively address the devastating impacts this fire has had on our 
communities while ensuring that those responsible are held accountable."

The other side:

Edison officials have said previously that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

"While we do not yet know what caused the Eaton wildfire, SCE is exploring every possibility in its investigation, including the possibility that SCE's equipment was involved," Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of SCE's parent company, Edison International, said in a statement last month. "We have been fully engaged since the start of the fires in supporting the broader emergency response, containment, recovery and investigation efforts."

SCE officials said its investigation into the fire's cause was likely to take several more months.

They released a statement after the filing saying, "Our hearts are with the communities affected by the wildfires in Southern California. We are reviewing the lawsuits that were recently filed and will address them through the appropriate legal process."

What's next:

Pasadena's lawsuit is part of a broader legal effort, with Los Angeles County and the City of Sierra Madre also filing similar suits against SCE. 

These jurisdictions seek to recover costs for damages sustained in their areas. The focus remains on restoring services to residents and holding responsible parties accountable.