SoCal Edison sues Los Angeles County, others over Eaton Fire

Southern California Edison filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, SoCal Gas and other agencies, including other utility companies, over the Eaton Fire on Friday. 

SoCal Edison and its parent company Edison International face many lawsuits from victims, Los Angeles County, and the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging that the utility's equipment ignited one of the worst wildfires in California history.

In its cross-complaint, Edison alleges that most of the deaths, damages and injuries could have been "avoided or significantly reduced" if the agencies "acted reasonably and with due care."

"These legal actions are a standard legal process that allows the court to fully examine all potential contributing factors and responsible parties. Southern California Edison remains committed to the communities impacted by the January fires and to supporting their recovery," spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy said in a statement.

While the exact cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation, Edison's lawyers point to several factors that exacerbated the destruction.

"Upon information and belief, several actions and/or failures of the Cross-Defendants contributed to the severity of the Eaton Fire and its resulting damage" Edison attorneys stated in the complaint. "These include, without limitation: the failure to issue timely evacuation alerts, overgrown brush throughout publicly-owned land, lack of water, and failure to plan for and properly allocate resources to fire suppression."

In its after-action report on the Eaton and Palisades Fire, the McChrystal Group found that the county issued 32 evacuation warnings and 19 evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire, and 58 evacuation warnings and 100 evacuation orders for the Eaton Fire.

Many, particularly in West Altadena, have reported that they didn't receive evacuation alerts until several hours after the blaze reached their location. The report found that downed cell towers may have impacted alerts.

The McChrystal Group also mentioned in its report that LA County first responders and emergency management personnel operated with outdated policies and protocols, staffing shortages, resource restraints and an inability to share to-the-minute information. 

"While frontline responders acted decisively and, in many cases, heroically, in the face of extraordinary conditions, the events underscored the need for clearer policies, stronger training, integrated tools, and improved public communication," the McChrystal Group stated in its report.

Edison also sued the Southern California Gas Company, claiming it failed to shut off its natural gas lines until four days after the Eaton Fire began. The failure "directly contributed to fire spread and impeded firefighting and evacuation efforts, resulting in damage to homes and other structures and placing lives in jeopardy," Edison attorneys wrote in the complaint. 

In a statement, SoCalGas spokesperson Chris Gilbridge said the company will review the complaint and "respond through the judicial process."

"SoCalGas continues to support our customers and communities still recovering from last year's devastating fires," Gildridge said. "Since January 7, 2025, SoCalGas has worked diligently, in close coordination with local and state officials, to assess the impacts of the fires on SoCalGas' infrastructure, make necessary repairs, and safely restore service to thousands of customers."

CBS LA contacted LA County officials for a comment after business hours on Friday night. We are waiting for a response as of Friday.