Pasadena school district sues Edison for Eaton fire damages

The Pasadena Unified School District has filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison. The district seeks compensation for damage caused by the Eaton fire, which affected several school buildings. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week. Pasadena Unified faces a $37 million budget deficit and argues that Edison’s negligence led to the destruction of its school buildings in the fire. This disaster occurred on January 7 and resulted in the loss of lives and homes in the Altadena area. Edison is already facing numerous lawsuits linked to the Eaton fire. Investigators have focused on the possibility that Edison’s power lines may have sparked the fire. The lawsuit mentions that the destruction of schools has greatly impacted students and families. The district's attorney, John Fiske, stated that they are seeking fair compensation to recover from the fire's effects. The lawsuit lists damages from various schools, including costs for cleanup, environmental testing, and mental health services for affected students. Pasadena Unified has struggled with declining enrollments, leading to job cuts including teachers. Since 2005, the student population has dropped from 21,000 to under 14,000. The decline is linked to high housing costs and the rise of charter schools. The suit alleges Edison failed to cut off power during a windstorm despite warnings. Photographic evidence is included to show that the fire possibly started under power lines. Edison has acknowledged that its equipment's condition is under investigation. Edison has dealt with other fire-related claims before, including payments from previous fires that exceeded $1 billion. The utility is working with state regulations that allow it to raise rates to cover some of these costs. Experts estimate the total damage from the Eaton fire could reach $10 billion. Even if Edison is found responsible, a state fund may help cover some damages, depending on whether the utility acted responsibly to prevent fires. Edison’s CEO indicated confidence in proving that they acted appropriately regarding their equipment.