SoCal Edison confirms reporting electrical malfunction at time of Saddleridge Fire
Investigators search for cause of Saddleridge Fire
We've heard a lot about power shutoffs - meant to prevent fires but one area that was not under an outage was Sylmar where the Saddleridge fire started. As investigators try to determine the cause, there's new evidence SoCal Edison may figure into it.
The cause of the Saddleridge Fire remains undetermined. However, a Southern California Edison electrical safety incident report to the state's public utility commission could link the cause of the fire to a power line malfunction, officials said Monday.
RELATED: All evacuation orders lifted in Saddleridge Fire; containment at 43%
A spokesperson with SoCal Edison confirmed to FOX 11 they notified the California Public Utilities Commission of a system impact at the reported time of the fire.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we notified the California PUC on Friday, October 11 that our system was impacted near the reported time of the fire," the incident report said.
The malfunction report filed Thursday is allegedly similar to one that was made by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. after the deadly Camp Fire.
On Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Fire Department tweeted that although the cause of the fire remains undetermined, the "area of origin has been identified by LAFD Arson Investigators as a 50' x 70' area beneath a high voltage transmission tower."
RELATED: Camp Fire now most destructive wildfire in California history; 9 dead
LAFD says there is no evidence of a homeless encampment in the immediate area at the time of the fire.
Authorities are working to figure out a cause. That includes LAFD personnel, SCE investigators, and private insurance companies.
The Saddleridge Fire that burned off Saddle Ridge Road in Sylmar has torched 7,965 acres, destroyed 17 structures and damaged 58 structures, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.