When the Greek fire erupted in the Angels National Forest in 2017, doubts quickly fell on electric power lines.
At the time of the fire, Little Tujunga saw a fort at a high -voltage transfer tower in the city of Little Dujunga, and investigators paid their attention there.
“There was a fire, and sparks came from the pyelon. It spreads every direction,” a resident told Times.
It will take seven years to decide that the fire that destroyed 70 houses – south California Edison was caused by federal authorities.
After getting access to Edison's data by 2022, a federal investigator with the US Forest Service made his decision. The federal government has filed a lawsuit that has been stopped not only in the application company, but also the appropriate data that may have been prevented by the origin of the fire. It seeks 40 million damage to Million.
The federal complained that “the SCE has violated the duty of its care and neglected the fire, including the failure to maintain, maintain and operate its power lines and equipment in a safe and effective work order.”
Edison denies its equipment as a fire.
On December 5, 2017, the shadow of Silmer burns the Creek Fire at night in the Hills neighborhood.
(Louis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A small incident Creek Fire explained the road of long and twisted inquiries as big flames compared to the storm that La County beaten on January 7.
Edison is now under intense inspection for an Eaton fire in January, destroying 7,000 homes and killing 17 people in the Altadeena area. Witnesses who saw the fire under the Edison Transmission Tower in Eaton Canyon; Video and photos also show the initial moments of confusion under the electric tower. The application has promised to cooperate with the investigation into the cause of the fire.
For lawyers who have already sued, they are responsible. In the meantime, Edison says that there is no evidence of mistakes in the front of the fire or at the time of its power phase.
More ride in the investigation. There are financial impacts if the application is found to be wrong. The share price of the application, which has already fallen since the fire, may fall.
As far as the stock is concerned, experts say that it is important for investigators to give time.
“It takes time for this. You cannot run with the first possible answer, ”said Steward Gary, a public security consultant at Citigate Associates and former Firefighter of Livermore -Blazanton Fire Department.
Large applications have been determined for some of the worst fires of California. The Camp fire in heaven -It burned 153,000 acres and killed 85 people. This application pleaded guilty of 84 human murder and agreed to give victims a $ 13.5 billion settlement.
But investigations can sometimes see other reasons. The BG & E center was the huge dubs fire that killed 22 people in 2017 in Santa Rosa. But Call Fire decided that it was Actually a private electric lineNot BG & E lines, it was a fire.
Investigators are investigating the site of the Eaton fire.
(Geno Molina / Los Angeles Times)
'A' intentionally decision to suppress the evidence '
Edison and Eaton have come to focus on the fire because it is fighting in court, alleging that it was less than the data on the Creek fire.
The power lines were also the initial center of the Creek fire, which burned over 15,000 acres in the San Fernando Valley and destroyed more than 100 structures.
Initial investigations carried out by the US Forest Service concluded five weeks later that the fire was caused by the transaction lines operated by the Water and Electricity Department. But the investigation was complicated as LADWP officials said that the fire had started six minutes before any mistakes in their power lines. The intelligence report was publicly published in 2020, and the insurance companies and firefighters sued the LatvP. Edison asked Edison on April 2020.
According to a memerandum in the civil case filed by insurance companies and victims, the plaintiffs served Edison with a sapona. In September, in an initial documentary production, Edison did not provide related data, the plaintiffs said in their memory. But in Dec.
The plaintiffs wrote in their costume that “that fault data is clearly clarified at the time of the Creek fire at the Lopez circuit.”
The plaintiffs said Edison had false data in early 2018 – a few days after the fire.
“[Edison] At the beginning of its investigation, it was deliberately decided to suppress the evidence and to murmur the blame on Ladvibi, ”the plaintiffs wrote.
Fire -related discovery changed in 2024.
“Powerlines or equipment belonging to South California Edison experienced a mistake or malfunction, which created enough heat to stimulate nearby plants, provides efficient ignition source of firefighter fire,” said Forest Service Intelligent Thomas Gusman. “No evidence has been found for any other reason. All other reasons are excluded.”
Edison refuses the invention.
“We do not believe that SCE equipment is involved in the Creek fire. We do not agree with the Creek fire allegations. We are addressing the matter through the right court process,” Edison's spokesman Ketleen Dunlevi said.
Dunlevi has not commented on the allegation that Edison has stopped the data for the fire.
The Creek Fire Case Case Utilities illustrates how trusted fire researchers are, which uses most of the data inspectors to determine the fire.
In the creation of their case against Edison, the Creek Fire Flower Lawyers cited the attack in 1997 at Edison's offices in Rosmed. At the time, the foot fire investigators were searching for documents that could reveal whether they had a share in a confrontation in Galabasas a year ago.
In the secret action, Call Fire planted an intelligence officer at an architectural offices and showed up as an architectural student to create upstairs plans for the upcoming test.
The test led to the contract between the department and the department on the procedures to be followed during the investigation of the causes of the wildfire, and there was a tape in relationships between Edison and investigators. Edison does not face any criminal charges.
Attorneys in court documents have reported that Edison failed in accordance with the 1997 agreement following the 2017 fire. Five days after the fire began on December 10, 2017, Call Fire Investigators sought false data for Edison's Lopez round.
At the time, the Lopez Circuit was thought to be outside the possible place for the fire, but the investigators somehow asked them to complete their “complete” investigation into the fire.
Despite the demand, Edison failed to provide data related to the Lopez Circuit, which is “the main evidence that proves the tall amperement function that the SCE is actively trying to conceal.”
“If the allegations are correct, it seems that Edison does not have any mistakes in its organization,” said Michael Warah, director of Stanford University's Climate and Energy Policy Program.
