Lawyers for a woman who was among thousands of people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire near Los Angeles say Southern California Edison crews working to repair and restore power to the area may have destroyed evidence that could help determine what started the fire.
The fire killed at least 16 people and destroyed more than 7,000 structures in Altadena. Videos and photos taken by residents captured flames beneath Edison’s power pylons in the Eaton Canyon area in the first minutes of the fire. A resident reported hearing a loud pop as the conflagration began.
Now, attorneys for Altadena resident Evangeline Iglesias have asked a judge to order Edison to preserve evidence in the area, fearing the utility company would throw away equipment that could hold clues to the origin of the fire.
“SCE’s attorney unequivocally stated that SCE plans to destroy the damaged distribution and related equipment at Altadena” and “electrical infrastructure” at Eaton Canyon unless plaintiffs’ attorneys identify each item of specific evidence that needed to be preserved, the lawyers wrote.
His lawyers say they have received nearly 1,000 inquiries from “residents who will need this same evidence to recover.”
Gabriela Ornelas, a spokeswoman for Edison, declined to comment Friday on the lawsuits or the noise heard when the fire broke out because the cause is still under investigation.
“Our thoughts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them during this difficult time,” she said.
In a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission, Edison said two days after the fire started that it had not received any suggestions that its equipment was involved in the ignition.
“SCE’s preliminary analysis of electrical circuit information from energized transmission lines passing through the area for 12 hours prior to the reported start time of the fire shows no electrical or operational interruptions or anomalies until more than “one hour after the reported start time of the fire,” the utility company said. This assertion was repeated in a Jan. 14 letter written by SCE’s attorneys in response to the evidence preservation request.
Aerial images provided by the Vexcel data program show eight work trucks in the area northwest of the Eaton Valley power towers four days after the fire started. Several trucks matched the type used by Edison work crews, but the logos were not visible in the images. Ms. Ornelas said she had no information about the trucks or their work.
In a filing responding to the evidence preservation request, Edison’s attorneys said the utility must “immediately begin reconstruction work in Altadena to make the area safe for the public and to remove damaged equipment.” . The filing asked the plaintiffs’ attorneys to “immediately notify us if you are in possession of any information or evidence suggesting that SCE’s distribution facilities in Altadena are related to the Eaton Fire.”
-One of the worst fires in state history
A neighborhood resident who saw the fire initially said he heard a loud noise as flames shot out from under the power pylons minutes before the wind made the fire one of the worst in city history. the state.
Matt Logelin, whose backyard overlooks the Eaton Canyon area, was preparing dinner for his children when he heard the noise. At first he thought it might have been a tree branch that had broken in the strong wind.
“I looked out the window just to watch the wind. And I saw a little fire on the hill,” he said. He grabbed his phone and took a photo at 6:13 p.m. Twenty-three minutes later, the sky was orange and flames filled the canyon.
Mr. Logelin immediately called 911 to report the start of the fire and ran to his neighbors to alert them. He took another photo at 6:21 p.m. which showed the orange flames had already spread over the hills. At 6:35 p.m., he and his family were in the car on their way to safety.
Mr. Logelin’s house and other houses on his street have survived, but he has no idea when he will be able to return.
“It’s miraculous,” he said. “When I ran out the front door, embers were flying in the backyard. There are embers flying over the house in the front yard. I thought the house was gone for good.”
In Los Angeles County’s Pacific Palisades, investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took the lead in finding the cause of the fire, which started hours before the fire. by Eaton. The Palisades fire has killed at least eight people and destroyed thousands of structures.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley told residents at a public meeting Thursday that among the possible causes of the fire was a New Year’s Day prairie fire that may have reignite with the violent winds of January 7.
“We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers,” said Jose Medina, the acting ATF agent in charge of Los Angeles. “The ATF will give you those answers, but that will be after we have completed a thorough investigation.”
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