LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, the nationally recognized law firms of Baron & Budd P.C. and Diab Chambers LLP, filed lawsuits on behalf of Las Flores Water Company, Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, and Kinneloa Irrigation District against Southern California Edison (SCE) for damages to water systems and critical infrastructure resulting from the January 7, 2025 Eaton Fire.
The Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including churches, temples, mosques, senior centers, parks, open space, and historical landmarks, displaced tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents, and tragically resulted in the fatalities of at least 18 individuals.
«The water agencies have mobilized resources to restore these systems for the safe and reliable delivery of water to Los Angeles County residents,» said Torri Sherlin, a shareholder with Baron & Budd, outside counsel for the water agencies in this action. «This legal action seeks appropriate compensation for the repair of this critical infrastructure and disruption to system operations.”
The filing details extensive damage to several assets, facilities, and infrastructure, including but not limited to:
- Water treatment, distribution, and storage facilities, including multiple reservoirs
- Water transmission pipelines and pump stations
- Back-up power generation systems
- Communications cabling and related equipment
- Thousands of water service connections
- Critical water management infrastructure including storage tanks
The complaints include documentation showing that the fire originated below an Edison transmission tower during a forecasted Red Flag Warning period during a period of extreme fire danger. Public filings with the California Public Utilities Commission by Edison acknowledge that a «fault was detected» on its transmission circuit at approximately the same time and location that the fire began. Further, Edison’s CEO recently admitted in a media interview that the company’s “leading hypothesis” regarding the cause and origin of the Eaton Fire involves SCE’s equipment.
The filings contain eight causes of action, including inverse condemnation, negligence, and violations of public utilities and health and safety codes and address both direct fire damage and the subsequent costs of managing post-fire environmental hazards, water quality preservation issues, and infrastructure restoration.
«The water agencies are working around the clock to restore these vital water systems,» Sherlin added. «This legal action addresses fair compensation for the expenses the water agencies have incurred and will continue to incur through the long road ahead towards recovery.”
Las Flores Water Company, Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, and Kinneloa Irrigation District are represented by outside counsel John Fiske, Torri Sherlin, and Taylor O’Neal of Baron & Budd P.C., and Ed Diab and Kristen Barton of Diab Chambers LLP. The same legal team represents Los Angeles County, the City of Pasadena, the City of Sierra Madre, and the Pasadena Unified School District in the related litigation where they have been appointed co-liaison counsel for Public Entities.
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About Baron & Budd, P.C.
With more than 40 years of experience, Baron & Budd has the expertise and resources to handle complex litigation throughout the United States. As a law firm that takes pride in remaining at the forefront of litigation, Baron & Budd has spearheaded many significant cases for hundreds of public entities and tens of thousands of individuals. Since the firm was founded in 1977, Baron & Budd has achieved substantial national acclaim for its work on cutting-edge litigation, trying hundreds of cases to verdict and settling tens of thousands of cases in areas of litigation as diverse and significant as dangerous and highly addictive pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, asbestos and mesothelioma, wildfires, environmental contamination, fraudulent banking practices, e-cigarettes, motor vehicles, federal whistleblower cases, and other consumer fraud issues.
Contacts
Debra Collier, Marketing Manager
[email protected]
Torri Sherlin, Shareholder
[email protected]
