Lawsuit accuses Southern California Edison of Negligence in Eaton Fire

A new lawsuit filed on behalf of victims of the Eaton wildfire, which destroyed over 7,000 structures and claimed 16 lives in Altadena, California, accuses Southern California Edison of negligence for failing to properly maintain power lines and manage vegetation in the fire-prone area.

Currently there are more than 500 victims meeting with attorneys regarding the lawsuit.

The Complaint claims that the Eaton fire was caused either by direct contact between power infrastructure and vegetation or by sparks emitted from infrastructure igniting vegetation. (Kreiner et al. v. Southern California Edison et al., 25STCV00766).

“The conditions and circumstances surrounding the ignition of the Eaton Fire, including the nature and condition of Edison’s electrical infrastructure, low humidity, strong winds, and tinder like dry vegetation were foreseeable by any reasonably prudent person, and, therefore, were foreseeable to Defendants – those with special knowledge and expertise as electrical services providers and their employees and agents,” the Complaint reads.

“In fact, prior to the Eaton Fire, Edison identified the Eaton Canyon area as an extreme risk area, where topography, historical fires, and local fuel conditions put it at higher danger,” the Complaint continued.

Southern California filed an incident reported related to the Eaton Fire on Jan. 9, 2025. Utilities file and Electric Safety Report (ESIR) to document significant incidents involving their electrical systems. These reports provide detailed information that may suggest a potential link between the utility’s infrastructure and the incident, even when the exact cause remains under investigation. While filing an ESIR does not imply liability, it underscores the seriousness of the event and initiates a formal review process.

In a news release that same day, Southern California stated that they conducted preliminary analysis of electrical circuit information for the four energized transmission lines in the Eaton Canyon area that showed no interruptions or operational/electrical anomalies in the 12 hours prior to the fire’s reported start time until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.