The mother of a woman killed in the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, California, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Southern California Edison (SCE), potentially marking the first such case linked to the disaster. The lawsuit alleges that SCE equipment sparked the fire, leading to the woman's tragic death. This comes amidst a wave of lawsuits targeting SCE, with residents and businesses claiming property damage caused by the blaze.
The mother of a woman killed in the Los Angeles-area Eaton Fire on Friday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Southern California Edison (SCE) in what may be the first such case brought against the utility company in connection with the disaster. Multiple fires, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, erupted and rapidly spread across Los Angeles last week, claiming the lives of more than two dozen people and scorching nearly 16,200 hectares of the second-largest U.S. metropolitan area.
While official investigators have yet to determine the cause of the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, California, SCE has faced a growing number of lawsuits alleging that its equipment sparked the initial flames.Evelyn Cathirell, an Altadena resident, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of her daughter, Evelyn 'Petey' McClendon, whose remains were found in their shared home after it was destroyed by the blaze. The lawsuit describes the harrowing final hours of 'Petey's life, filled with chaos and panic as embers were blown freely by the relentless wind, creating spot fires in every direction. The scene was described as straight out of a disaster movie.'Cathirell's legal action follows several lawsuits filed against SCE this week by residents and business owners who suffered property damage. Notably, Evangeline Iglesias, another Altadena resident whose home was consumed by the flames, filed an emergency request with the Los Angeles Superior Court, urging SCE to preserve additional electrical equipment for potential examination in the ongoing fire investigations. Iglesias's attorneys, Edelson PC, argued that SCE's plan to immediately remove physical power infrastructure in the burn area, unless specifically instructed to retain certain equipment, was unreasonable. They emphasized that SCE, as the owner of most of the relevant evidence and possessing unique knowledge about the fire's origin and spread, should bear the responsibility of ensuring comprehensive preservation for investigation purposes. An SCE spokesperson stated that the company is dedicated to restoring power to affected areas and is aware of the lawsuits related to the Eaton Fire. They pledged to thoroughly review these legal challenges. SCE, a subsidiary of Edison International, previously indicated that some power equipment had been preserved for fire investigations
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