Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify SCE’s position.
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Southern California Edison is acknowledging that its equipment may have started the Hurst Fire in Sylmar last month, which burned nearly 800 acres and damaged two mobile homes.
In a filing with California’s Public Utilities Commission on Thursday, SCE said the fire appeared to have originated in an area north of Saddle Ridge Road where it operates a transmission tower.
At about 10:10 p.m. on Jan. 7, around the same time the fire erupted during a Santa Ana windstorm, the utility said hardware supporting wire insulation on the tower “separated and caused the top phase to fall on the middle phase resulting in both falling to the ground.”
In the same filing, SCE noted that the Los Angeles Fire Department also suggested that SCE’s equipment may have started the fire, which burned for eight days before it was fully contained. The official cause of the fire remains under investigation, and SCE said it continues to cooperate with authorities.
In a second filing, SoCal Edison said it is looking into allegations that its transmission line became energized and possibly sparked the Eaton Fire, which impacted Altadena and Pasadena.
“SCE has not identified typical or obvious indications that would support this association, such as broken conductors, fresh arc marks in the preliminary origin area, or evidence of faults on the energized lines running through that area,” the utility told the commission.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against SCE on behalf of Eaton Fire victims, although the official cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Eaton Fire, which killed at least 17 people, was fully contained last week. The deadly Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people, flattened more than 6,800 structures and charred more than 23,000 acres, was also fully contained.
All three wildfires started on the same day.
