Fire Victims Sue SCE: 'Quit Lighting The 5th Largest Economy On Fire'

LOS ANGELES, CA — Victims of the catastrophic Eaton Fire have filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison, claiming there is clear evidence the company's electrical equipment ignited the deadly blaze.

One of multiple lawsuits was filed on behalf of a renter who was forced to evacuate and whose belongs were damaged in the fire because Edison ignored essential electrical and fire safety standards by failing to maintain power lines properly, according to the lawsuit.

"This goes beyond a failure of responsibility—it is gross negligence in an area highly vulnerable to wildfires, especially with well-documented weather alerts and high wind risks," said his attorney Patrick McNicholas. "We are committed to holding Southern California Edison accountable for their alleged negligence and to seeking justice for victims who have lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones."

At least four lawsuits have been filed against SCE in connection to the Eaton Fire, each
alleging that the company failed to shut off power in the area despite "repeated and clear warnings" by the National Weather Service.

Last week, the weather service warned of "extremely critical wildfire conditions"and 100 mph wind gusts hours before the winds arrived.

"It would be fabulous if the utilities could quit lighting the fifth-largest economy in the world on fire and do what needs to be done to harden their lines, to bury their lines and to make the transmission of energy safe," McNicholas told Patch.

A video captured by a Pasadena couple depicts the possible first moments of ignition near Eaton Canyon before the fire grew tremendously and leveled whole neighborhoods.

At about 6: 15 p.m. on Jan. 7 in the 2100 block of Canyon View Drive, Marcus Errico ran inside his home to tell his wife Jennifer that they needed to get out quickly because the electrical tower across the canyon was on fire.

According to data from the LA Times, in the hour that the Eaton Fire started, there were 50 faults on the power grid in that area. Faults on the power grid are caused by debris hitting electrical wires, among other causes, and often produce sparks.

Authorities have not identified the cause of the Los Angeles County's devastating fires. They have yet to rule out the possibility of the culprit being problems with the electrical grid.

On Monday morning, Pedro Pizarro, the CEO of SCE's parent company Edison International, told ABC7 that he had seen the video.

"SCE understands that a lawsuit related to the Eaton fire has been filed, but has not yet been served with the complaint. SCE will review the complaint when it's received. The cause of the fires continues to be under investigation," a SCE spokesperson told Patch. "Our hearts remain with our communities during these devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time."

SCE has faced penalties for other major fires they were found responsible for, such as the Thomas Fire in 2017 and Woolsey Fire in 2018. In 2021, the California Public Utilities Commission ordered SCE to pay a total of $550 million for violations found in SCE's infrastructure.

As of Monday, the Eaton fire has burned approximately 14,117 acres, destroyed over 7,000 structures and killed at least 16 people. The devastating natural disaster has claimed historic buildings, neighborhoods and schools.