Southern California Edison's own dilapidated equipment sparked the Eaton fire that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,000 homes and businesses—and the utility is already maneuvering to make ratepayers absorb the cost while shielding itself from full accountability.
After 18 months of investigation, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed Tuesday that electrical arcing on an out-of-service Edison tower ignited the January 2025 blaze that scorched 22 square miles of Altadena and surrounding communities. The report lists eight violations of state criminal and public utility codes tied to Edison, though the details remain redacted while the L.A. County District Attorney's Office reviews the evidence.
The mechanics are damning. Two arcing events on the idle tower sent burning material falling into dry brush below. Within 12 seconds, the fire took hold. A 911 caller described seeing a 10-by-10-foot fire
