New Evidence Emerges in LA Fire Justice’s Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison

PASADENA — Mikal Watts, an attorney working with LA Fire Justice, presented new video evidence that further proves the case against Southern California Edison for the catastrophic consequences of a fire ignited by their equipment in conditions of high wind.

An enhanced LiDAR analysis of the flashing seen in surveillance video taken at an ARCO gas station at the start of the fire shows that following the first flash, molten material can be seen dropping from one of Edison’s transmission towers. This molten metal dropped to the ground and caused dry brush at the base of the tower to catch fire, and in high wind conditions, this fire spread and caused the destruction of more than 9,000 structures and 18 deaths.

“Wildfires don’t start without an ignition,” said Mikal Watts. “A spark alone can create that fire, and then given the conditions that we all know existed here: high heat, low humidity, dried out fuels, and Santa Ana winds, this spark on Edison’s tower is the only thing that separates a catastrophe from the town of Altadena still being here.”

In addition, LA Fire Justice uncovered photographs found in the archives at the Huntington Library from 102 years ago that show the construction of these towers. These towers were active for 48 years before the Sylmar Substation was damaged in an earthquake in 1971 and taken out of commission. Most of the towers on the circuit were taken down by Southern California Edison but the 19 towers known as towers 208 – 227 were left there for no reason.

“Despite being aware that the Kincade fire in 2019 began on an abandoned line, and giant utility Pacific Gas & Electric was fined $40 million dollars, Southern California Edison did nothing to remove the idle tower which caused the Eaton Fire,” Watts said.

“For Southern California Edison, this is inexcusable,” said consumer advocate Erin Brockovich. “For the money you earn as a for-profit corporation, that you continue to operate with failed infrastructure that caused this type of devastation is unacceptable. It was a complete, colossal failure.”

The Law Office of Douglas Boxer and the Watts Law Firm, attorneys working with LA Fire Justice, in February filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison Company and Edison International for the catastrophic consequences of a fire ignited by their equipment in conditions of high wind. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Walt Butler, and Luis Gonzalez and Denise Diaz, who lost their Altadena homes in the fire.

As part of LA Fire Justice’s commitment to best-in-class work, using a technique called photogrammetry, our team of wildfire investigators, world-class fire origin and causation experts, and digital mappers conducted physical scans of Eaton Canyon and created a precise 3D model to pinpoint the fire’s exact point of origin. This technique takes videos obtained from surveillance footage and witnesses and stitches them together to recreate the canyon’s shape and details in an exact digital model. The original 3D video showing the origin of the fire at the abandoned tower can be viewed or downloaded here.

Details: LAFireJustice.com