Edison unlikely to escape liability in Eaton Fire lawsuit

The first bellwether trial over responsibility for the catastrophic 2025 blaze is scheduled for January.LOS ANGELES (CN) — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge indicated Tuesday she is unlikely to allow Edison International to escape liability in a mass tort over the Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people, destroyed more than 9,000 homes and devastated the Southern California neighborhood of Altadena last year.More than 47,000 plaintiffs, including individuals from more than 18,000 households and businesses, are suing Southern California Edison over its role in the blaze. It is widely believed that the catastrophic fire, the fifth-deadliest and second-most destructive in California history, was caused by faulty power lines owned by the utility company. The plaintiffs are also suing Edison International, SoCal Edison’s corporate parent.Edison International had filed a motion for summary judgment, asking to be let go as a defendant in the case. But LA Superior Court Judge Laura Seigle, in a tentative ruling issued Tuesday, said she was not inclined to grant the motion because the corporation hadn’t met its burden of showing it bore no responsibility for the fire.Douglas Dixon, a partner at Hueston Hennigan who’s representing Edison International, or EIX, tried to persuade Seigle to change her mind.“EIX does not own, control, does not have any ability to affect the equipment that’s at the heart of this case,” Dixon said. “EIX does not have the authority to control Southern California Edison.”The plaintiffs have accused SoCal Edison of failing to maintain and inspect its equipment, failing to manage the vegetation around it and not shutting off two transmission towers despite dire warnings of strong winds and dry conditions. Dixon insisted there was “not a single shred of evidence suggesting EIX had any involvement in” those decisions or oversights.The plaintiffs’ attorneys did not say anything to rebut Dixon’s arguments, indicating they were confident the judge wouldn’t change her mind. Seigle did not ask any questions, nor say when she would issue her final ruling.Pedro Pizarro, Edison International’s CEO, has said a number of times that his company’s equipment was “likely the cause” of the Eaton Fire. And in a quarterly filing published in July, the company wrote, “absent additional evidence, it is likely that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Eaton Fire."“Edison International’s CEO has admitted they started fire, while its attorneys are saying the opposite,” plaintiffs’ attorney Amanda Riddle told reporters in the courthouse hallway after the hearing. “It’s adding insult to injury to victims.”“The corporation,” she added, “needs to be held accountable.”The first bellwether trial in the Eaton Fire case, which will consist of eight different plaintiffs, is scheduled to start Jan. 25, 2027.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads