Eaton Fire in Altadena sparked by SoCal Edison electric tower, probe finds

By Austin Turner Web Producer, CBS News Los Angeles Austin Turner is a web producer at CBS News Los Angeles. An Inland Empire native, Austin earned a degree in journalism from San Jose State University in 2020. Before joining CBS News in 2025, he worked at KTLA, the San Jose Mercury News, the Sedona Red Rock News and various other outlets as a news and sports reporter. Read Full Bio August 4, 2026 / 1:40 PM EDT / CBS LA Add CBS News on Google The Los Angeles County Fire Department on Tuesday released the conclusion of an 18-month investigation into the origins of the deadly and destructive Eaton Fire, determining that electrical arcing on an out-of-service transmission tower was allegedly to blame.The report, conducted jointly between the LACFD's Arson Fire Investigation Unit and Cal Fire, determined that the arcing events "ejected hot metal particles that fell to the receptive fuel beds consisting of dry vegetation below the towers," which sits on a ridge above the Eaton Wash. Los Angeles County Fire Department Eaton Fire Investigation Supplemental Report Starting Jan. 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire destroyed or damaged more than 9,000 homes primarily in the Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, and also affected nearby Pasadena.The blaze took the lives of 19 people, according to the LA County Medical Examiner.CBS LA reached out to Southern California Edison for comment, but did not immediately hear back. Last month, the utility company announced it paid more than $314 million to victims of the fire through its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program.