Attorneys Win Extension of Restraining Order While Damage Estimates Reach $30 Billion
A Glendale court extended a restraining order on January 27 requiring Southern California Edison to preserve potential evidence related to the devastating Eaton Fire, as attorneys released surveillance footage allegedly showing utility equipment sparking the blaze. The video at an Altadena gas station shows SCE power lines arcing during the January 7 windstorm moments before flames appeared on a nearby hillside. The fire has claimed 17 lives and destroyed 9,418 structures while burning more than 14,000 acres.
5 Key Points
- The court expanded the evidence preservation order to include a six-mile span of transmission lines.
- Gas station surveillance video shows power lines arcing before fire ignition.
- SCE acknowledges transmission faults in a letter to state regulators.
- The death toll reached 17, with over 9,400 structures destroyed.
- Damage estimates range from $10.5 billion to $30 billion.
Timeline of Fire’s Devastating First Hours
The Eaton Fire erupted around 6 p.m. on January 7 during intense Santa Ana winds that whipped through the canyons north of Los Angeles. Surveillance cameras at an Altadena gas station captured power lines arcing in the high winds, followed by sparks falling to the ground. Within minutes, flames appeared on the hillside above Eaton Canyon. The inferno spread rapidly through the drought-parched vegetation, forcing residents to flee with little warning. By January 13, the first lawsuits against Southern California Edison hit the courts as the fire continued to burn through neighborhoods.
Court Mandates Evidence Protection
A Glendale court strengthened its restraining order against Southern California Edison on January 27, requiring the utility to preserve a six-mile span of transmission lines and related physical evidence. Edelson law firm attorney Ali Moghaddas announced the expanded order, which safeguards materials that might reveal why the transmission tower failed. The preservation mandate builds upon earlier requirements as multiple lawsuits move forward. “The court’s order expands its earlier preservation order to ensure that the six-mile span of lines running away from that tower, as well as other physical evidence that might show why that tower went up, is preserved,” Moghaddas said.
Video Evidence Sparks New Legal Action
The Edelson law firm’s release of the gas station surveillance footage marked a turning point in the investigation. Law firm founder Jay Edelson described the video as proof of SCE’s role in the disaster. Southern California Edison spokesman David Eisenhauer confirmed receipt of the footage from the New York Times over the weekend, stating the utility immediately shared it with fire investigators. “That video requires thorough analysis, and it would be irresponsible for anyone to comment on the footage until it has gone through expert review,” Eisenhauer told City News Service. The video joins several other recordings showing the blaze’s early stages near the power lines.
Edison’s Operational Decisions Face Scrutiny
Southern California Edison’s choice to keep transmission lines energized during the January 7 windstorm prompted questions from investigators and attorneys. While crews de-energized distribution lines on Eaton Canyon’s west side, transmission lines on the east side remained powered. SCE chief executive Steven Powell defended this decision to the Los Angeles Times, stating wind speeds hadn’t reached shutdown thresholds for transmission equipment. The company first pointed to a possible campfire as the fire’s source before acknowledging a fault detection on its transmission line in a letter to state regulators. Fire investigators concentrated their work around these transmission lines while determining the official cause.
Legal Teams Unite Under LA Fire Justice Banner
The LA Fire Justice coalition brought wildfire lawyers and fire origin experts together for a January 27 news conference in Pasadena. Attorney Doug Boxer highlighted systemic failures in utility maintenance: “When a utility fails to invest in its infrastructure, fails to control the vegetation or ignores obvious warnings, weather warnings about the dangerous situations to come — the results are devastating and deadly.” Trial lawyer Mikal Watts cited his experience with 21 previous wildfire cases representing over 21,000 fire survivors. The legal team’s track record includes securing $5.5 billion for victims of the 2017 Tubbs Fire from Pacific Gas & Electric.
Advanced Technology Drives Investigation
LA Fire Justice investigators deployed cutting-edge reconstruction techniques to map the fire’s origin and spread. The team created detailed 3D models using multiple video sources from the night of January 7, combining GPS data with photogrammetry scans of the burn area. This digital recreation allows investigators to track the fire’s progression second by second from its ignition point through its destructive path through neighborhoods. The technology proved crucial in previous wildfire cases, helping secure multibillion-dollar settlements for fire victims in California and Hawaii.
Infrastructure Failures Draw Brockovich’s Criticism
Consumer advocate Erin Brockovich joined LA Fire Justice in condemning California’s utility infrastructure. “We’ve been over it, and over it, and over it,” Brockovich said at the Pasadena news conference, calling the disaster preventable. She emphasized utilities’ awareness of fire risks, pointing to predictable Santa Ana winds and known equipment vulnerabilities. “We’re not going to stop the Santa Ana winds, but there are more things that we can be doing and that we should be doing that makes this state and our communities have a defensible position so we don’t continue to have these types of fires,” Brockovich added.
Community Impact Reveals Staggering Losses
The Eaton Fire left an unprecedented path of destruction through Los Angeles County neighborhoods. In addition to the 17 confirmed deaths, the blaze destroyed 9,418 structures—most of them family homes. Residents who evacuated during the January 7 windstorm returned to find entire blocks reduced to ash. Fire crews battled the inferno, consuming more than 14,000 acres of terrain, jumping fire breaks, and threatening additional communities. The disaster forced thousands of residents into temporary housing while insurance adjusters began the lengthy damage assessment process.
Financial Estimates Point to Record-Breaking Damages
Wall Street analysts project the Eaton Fire’s costs could surpass previous California wildfire disasters. Trial lawyer Mikal Watts cited initial estimates between $10.5 billion and $14.5 billion in damages. New York hedge funds place potential losses closer to $20 billion, while Morgan Stanley analysts predict costs could reach $30 billion. These figures account for destroyed property, business interruption, evacuation expenses, and environmental damage. “There’s an entire community that was leveled by Southern California Edison. It did not have to happen,” Watts said during the Pasadena news conference.
Town Halls Bring Resources to Victims
LA Fire Justice scheduled two town hall meetings at the Pasadena Masonic Temple to connect fire victims with legal resources. The first meeting, which begins on February 7 at 6:30 p.m., will be followed by a second session on February 8 at 10 a.m. at 200 S. Euclid Ave. Organizers urged residents to bring photographs and videos from the fire’s outbreak, particularly material captured during the crucial early evening hours of January 7. These citizen-documented materials could provide additional evidence for investigators reconstructing the disaster’s timeline.
Legal Strategy Draws from Past Successes
The attorneys spearheading cases against Southern California Edison bring extensive wildfire litigation experience. Mikal Watts and Doug Boxer secured $5.5 billion for victims of Northern California’s 2017 Tubbs Fire in their case against Pacific Gas & Electric. The legal team also helped win over $4 billion for victims of the 2023 Maui fires. This experience shapes their approach to the Eaton Fire litigation, where multiple law firms now coordinate efforts through the LA Fire Justice coalition.
FAQ
Q: Can I file a lawsuit if I or a loved one were harmed in a wildfire caused by negligence?
A: Legal options may be available if you or a loved one suffered injuries or loss of life in a wildfire caused by negligence. Contact our legal experts to learn about your rights and start a free, confidential case review.
Q: What evidence links Southern California Edison to the Eaton Fire?
A: Surveillance video from an Altadena gas station shows SCE power lines arcing during the January 7 windstorm, followed by sparks and flames. In a letter to state regulators, the company also acknowledged a transmission line fault.
Q: How many homes and structures were destroyed in the Eaton Fire?
A: The fire destroyed 9,418 homes, most homes, while burning more than 14,000 acres in Los Angeles County.
Q: How much might the Eaton Fire cost Southern California Edison?
A: Financial analysts estimate damages between $10.5 billion and $30 billion, with Morgan Stanley projecting costs between $15 billion and $30 billion and New York hedge funds estimating around $20 billion.
Q: When and where are the town hall meetings for fire victims?
A: LA Fire Justice scheduled two meetings at the Pasadena Masonic Temple (200 S. Euclid Ave): February 7 at 6:30 p.m. and February 8 at 10 a.m.
Q: What steps did SCE take during the January 7 windstorm?
A: SCE de-energized distribution lines on Eaton Canyon’s west side but kept transmission lines powered on the east side, saying winds hadn’t reached thresholds requiring transmission line shutdown.
Q: How can fire victims participate in legal action against SCE?
A: Victims can attend the February town halls in Pasadena, bringing any photos or videos from January 7. Multiple law firms, including Edelson and LA Fire Justice coalition members, represent victims in lawsuits.
Citations
Contributing Editor (January 27, 2025). Attorneys: Video Purports to Show Eaton Fire Sparked by SCE Lines. MyNewsLA. https://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2025/01/27/attorneys-video-purports-to-show-eaton-fire-sparked-by-sce-lines-3/