The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a pair of lawsuits against Southern California Edison seeking roughly $37 million in damages and accusing the company of negligence in relation to this year’s Eaton fire and the Fairview fire of 2022, authorities said Thursday, Sept. 4.
“The lawsuits filed today allege a troubling pattern of negligence resulting in death, destruction, and tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars spent to clean up one utility company’s mistakes,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said.
“We hope that today’s filings are the first step in causing the beginnings of a culture change at Southern California Edison, one that will make it a responsible, conscientious company that helps – not harms – our community,” he said. “Hardworking Californians should not pick up the tab for Edison’s negligence.”
The fires, which burned in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, scarred tens of thousands of acres of National Forest system lands, killed 21 people and destroyed thousands of buildings, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The Eaton fire, which started on Jan. 7, charred more than 14,000 acres and killed 19 people before it was contained a month later. The fire damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures, mostly in Altadena and Pasadena.
The Fairview fire broke out east of Hemet in September 2022 and killed two people while destroying or damaging 27 homes and burning about 28,000 acres. A Cal Fire investigatory report determined the cause of the fire was a sagging Edison electrical line that came into contact with a communications cable during strong winds, causing an arc that ignited the blaze.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Related Posts:
- Blue states that sued kept most CDC grants, while red states feel brunt of Trump clawbacks News By Henry Larweh, Rachana Pradhan, Rae Ellen Bichell, KFF Health News The Trump administration’s cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding for state and local health departments had vastly uneven effects depending on the political leanings of a state, according to a KFF Health News analysis. Democratic-led states…
- Blue states that sued kept most CDC grants, while red states feel brunt of Trump clawbacks News By Henry Larweh, Rachana Pradhan, Rae Ellen Bichell, KFF Health News The Trump administration’s cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding for state and local health departments had vastly uneven effects depending on the political leanings of a state, according to a KFF Health News analysis. Democratic-led states…
- Conservative news network Newsmax files antitrust lawsuit against Fox News News By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The conservative news network Newsmax filed an antitrust lawsuit against Fox News on Wednesday, saying Fox has sought to maintain its market dominance through intimidation and exclusionary business practices designed to stifle competition. Fox has sought to block television distributors from…
- Conservative news network Newsmax files antitrust lawsuit against Fox News News By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The conservative news network Newsmax filed an antitrust lawsuit against Fox News on Wednesday, saying Fox has sought to maintain its market dominance through intimidation and exclusionary business practices designed to stifle competition. Fox has sought to block television distributors from…
- Conservative news network Newsmax files antitrust lawsuit against Fox News News By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The conservative news network Newsmax filed an antitrust lawsuit against Fox News on Wednesday, saying Fox has sought to maintain its market dominance through intimidation and exclusionary business practices designed to stifle competition. Fox has sought to block television distributors from…
(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)