Attorneys for fire victim say utility may have destroyed evidence of what caused deadly LA-area fire Attorneys for a woman who is among thousands who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire outside Los Angeles say Southern California Edison crews working to repair and restore power in the area may have destroyed evidence that could help determine what sparked the wildfire.
Now, attorneys for Altadena resident Evangeline Iglesias have asked a judge to order Edison to preserve evidence in the area, concerned that the utility is discarding equipment that may hold clues to the fire's origin.
“SCE’s counsel stated in no uncertain terms that SCE planned to destroy ‘damaged distribution and related equipment in Altadena’ and ‘electrical infrastructure’" in Eaton Canyon unless plaintiff's attorneys identified each specific piece of evidence that had to be preserved, attorneys wrote.
Video and photos taken by residents captured flames beneath Edison's electrical towers in the Eaton Canyon area in the early minutes of the fire.
Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, wouldn’t comment Friday on any lawsuits or the sound heard as the fire ignited because the cause is still under investigation.
