Edison International and its subsidiary, Southern California Edison, were hit with a class action last week seeking remediation of property costs and long-term medical monitoring for families and children exposed to lead, asbestos and other contaminants in the wake of the January Eaton wildfire, which was allegedly caused or exacerbated by Southern California Edison’s failure to maintain its electrical infrastructure.
The suit joins a wave of litigation, including suits filed by Los Angeles County, the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre and more than 100 insurers, against Southern California Edison, which accuses the company of failing to de-energize power lines and implement adequate fire prevention safety measures ahead of the disaster, when the National Weather Service Los Angeles placed the area under a “red flag” warning due to anticipated wind conditions. Most of the dozens of cases against Edison have been consolidated before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Laura Seigle in the Superior Court of Los Angeles.