Los Angeles wildfires: Lawsuit alleges video shows what started Eaton Fire

A new lawsuit is alleging that a local utility company is at fault for sparking the deadly Eaton Fire around Los Angeles, California, after surveillance video shows what lawyers say may have started the fire.

“We believe this video shows arcing on an SCE (Southern California Edison) electrical tower and a fire blazing up immediately below those sparks,” Edelson PC founder Jay Edelson shared with Fox News Digital.

“Along with other evidence we have obtained, we believe that the video is compelling evidence that SCE’s faulty equipment and poor decision-making caused the Eaton fire.”

Attorneys for the law firm allege that the video, which was edited to point out the blaze, shows sparks igniting and falling onto the dry hillside. 

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Minutes after the sparks started jumping, a flash of light can be seen, and within 10 minutes, the entire hillside was up in flames, according to the video shared by Edelson.

The Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News Digital that they are aware of the video, but could not comment further.

“We are still in the midst of this incident and still working alongside our law enforcement and fire department partners,” the LAPD said. 

In the lawsuit, Altadena resident Evangeline Iglesias claims SCE failed to shut down its power equipment despite strong warnings, which then resulted in the Eaton wildfire that consumed her home.

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“There is clear evidence from video footage, photographs, and witness accounts that the fire was caused by electrical equipment operated by Defendants Edison International and Southern California Edison,” the complaint read. 

Edelson said they took “immediate action” and submitted an emergency filing in efforts to prevent SCE from destroying any crucial evidence as authorities continue to investigate what started the fire.

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He added that a court granted their order to expand its existing order to protect all key physical evidence. 

“As part of the court’s order, we, along with our experts, will be entitled to inspect the power lines and obtain additional evidence. That will happen over the next 21 days,” Edelson said. 

So far, Edelson said they have received more than 2,000 calls from residents about their claims against SCE and said they “will be bringing complaints in waves on behalf of groups of our clients.”

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Edelson said that SCE was also ordered to turn over all documents to them last week, but claimed that SCE had marked them all “Confidential.” 

“We think those documents, along with the video evidence we have, make clear that SCE has not been honest with the public,” Edelson said.

“We are very confident that a court will ultimately force SCE to release those documents. However, there is nothing stopping SCE from voluntarily releasing them now. We are therefore calling on SoCal Edison to stop hiding behind its phalanx of lawyers and come clean about what it knows.”

A spokesperson for SCE told Fox News Digital that they are working closely with law enforcement officials and handed over access to the video to investigators.  

The company added that the video needed “very close examination” and that it was “very premature for anyone to comment on the video till experts have looked at it.” 

Gabriela Ornelas, another Edison spokesperson, previously told The Associated Press that the company is aware that a lawsuit has been filed, but has not yet reviewed it. 

“Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time,” Ornelas said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.