Attorneys representing a number of Altadena residents who misplaced houses within the Eaton hearth are asking a choose to sanction Southern California Edison, alleging the utility secretly re-energized transmission strains that presumably altered key proof displaying how the lethal hearth began.
“SCE altered the very transmission strains in Eaton Canyon that SCE repeatedly promised to not contact,” reads a movement filed late Monday by the regulation agency Edelson PC, which accuses the corporate of failing to reveal its resolution to re-energize the strains regardless of figuring out a brief restraining order that may require it to protect potential proof was pending in courtroom.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Edison disputed the regulation agency’s declare, arguing the utility had actually notified attorneys earlier than it re-energized its gear and earlier than the courtroom dominated.
“It continues to be disheartening to see these false accusations being unfold within the media,” mentioned Kathleen Dunleavy. “We’ve and can proceed to protect related proof.”
However for attorneys suing the utility, what occurred throughout that re-energization on Jan. 19, practically two weeks after the Eaton hearth started, and the way the utility communicated main as much as it,has solely elevated considerations because the investigation and litigation across the hearth run on parallel tracks.
– Reconstruction work continues on Lake Ave. lower than two weeks after the Eaton Fireplace destroyed houses and companies.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions)
After the Eaton hearth started Jan. 7, Edison de-energized the transmission strains in Eaton Canyon. Although it re-energized them a couple of days later, they have been powered down once more on Jan. 12.
The following day, a number of Altadena owners sued Edison for its alleged function within the hearth. In addition they requested a courtroom order for the corporate to protect potential proof because the investigation into the blaze’s begin unfolded.
However on Jan. 17, attorneys representing Edison despatched a letter to plaintiffs notifying them employees could be cleansing insulators of their towers to take away hearth retardant. The letter additionally included a line that the transmission towers “have to be re-energized as quickly as doable to supply secure, dependable energy to roughly 50,000 residents.”
“We did notify them with a notification about subsequent steps,” Dunleavy mentioned.
On Sunday, Jan. 19, two days earlier than a choose would order the utility to protect its gear, Edison turned on the ability to the transmission strains in Eaton Canyon and Eagle Rock-Gould line.
Firm personnel despatched out to look at how the gear responded “noticed a small flash of white mild upon every re-energization,” in response to a Feb. 6 letter to the California Public Utilities Fee.
The white flashes have been seen on a transmission that carries the Mesa-Vincent and Goodrich-Gould strains, in addition to a transmission construction that had been unused since 1971.
A burned residence on on North Altadena Drive frames the hillside and electrical strains and towers the place the hearth could have been sparked, seen on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 in Pasadena, CA.
(John McCoy/For The Occasions)
The priority for the Altadena owners is that this Jan. 19 re-energization occasion could have altered proof pointing to Edison gear sparking the hearth, a priority their attorneys argue has benefit.
That’s as a result of the Jan. 19 re-energization and white flashes weren’t the primary signal of irregularities on the transmission strains and towers within the canyon which were flagged to state regulators, elevating considerations electrical gear might need performed a job within the hearth’s begin. The corporate had additionally detected a fault the day of the hearth on its Eagle Rock Gould line, about 5 circuit miles from the suspected ignition level, which triggered a rise of present throughout transmission strains.
“It is rather disturbing that Edison secretly re-energized its transmission strains within the suspected space of origin,” Alexander Robertson, one of many attorneys whose agency, Robertson & Associates, LLP, signed a letter despatched to Edison, elevating considerations in regards to the strains that have been reenergized. “It’s much more troubling that when Edison secretly re-energized these strains, they noticed new arcing upon every re-energization, however selected not disclose this vital data to the regulators, investigators or the general public till 18 days later.”
The 14 corporations that signed the letter are asking that SCE present them with video, images, LiDAR and knowledge about their monitoring outcomes from the Jan. 19 white flashes that have been noticed, and of another testing or monitoring which may have taken place.
