The cause of the Eaton Fire, which has claimed 29 lives across Altadena and surrounding areas, is under intense scrutiny after attorneys released new surveillance footage that may implicate Southern California Edison's (SCE) equipment. KTLA reported that the video, acquired by Edelson PC Law Firm from a gas station near the believed origin point of the Eaton Fire, shows what could be arcing and sparks from power lines.
The footage has become a centerpiece in the growing litigation against SCE, which faces more than 20 lawsuits in the wake of the disaster. Attorneys at Edelson PC allege that a "flash of light" in the video is evidence of SCE's power lines igniting the fire on January 7. However, SCE has maintained, in a statement obtained by FOX LA, that its preliminary analysis found no faults on the transmission lines that run through the canyon, and that the investigation into the fire's origins is ongoing. SCE spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy emphasized to reporters, "Southern California Edison is committed to transparency, and we’re committed to conducting this investigation in a thorough manner."
Further complicating the matter, attorney Ali Moghaddas of Edelson PC claimed during a news conference following a court proceeding, "We see what is unequivocally arcing at the very origin of the fire." Moghaddas expressed the need for an expansion on the court's existing order to preserve physical evidence related to the fire's origins, as evidenced by the new video. "SCE had plans to unilaterally potentially destroy evidence in this case, but the court's order puts a stop to that," Moghaddas told ABC7.
Additional groups, such as LA Fire Justice, which includes consumer advocate Erin Brockovich, have conducted their own briefings to shed light on the fire's origin. FOX LA detailed their findings which concluded the origin of the fire was the base of transmission line #3 and that the transmission line was energized by SCE equipment. Trial lawyer Mikal Watts shared his dismay at the briefing, "There was an entire community that was leveled by Southern California Edison's equipment. It did not have to happen, it should have not happened, it's a repeat offender from the standpoint of Thomas, Woolsey, Bobcat, and now this."
