SoCal Edison makes 1st compensation payment to fire survivors – NBC Los Angeles

Southern California Edison, accused of starting the deadly Eaton Fire in the Altadena area, has made its first compensation payment to an Eaton fire survivor or a family of survivors, the utility announced Tuesday.

SoCal Edison began offering compensation through the Wildlife Recovery Compensation Program in September, promising expedited payments for various types of damage or destruction by the January wildfire.

The company did not say who received the compensation, and how much the person/house hold received.

Since September, a total of 1,551 claims have been made by 3,293 families and households to receive compensation payments, the utility said.

So far, 27 offers have been extended as SoCal Edison promised “more payments will be made by year-end.”

The most common types of loss that claimants reported are non-burn damage, such as smoke and water damage, total loss and partial loss, according to SoCal Edison.

Those who reach an agreement with the company will have to “resolve all claims against the utility,” meaning they will give up their rights to sue the utility in the future.

SoCal Edison had said compensation amounts could be between $550 and $750 per square foot. That means, for example, if a 1,500-square-foot house, which was valued at $1.2 million before the fire, is now estimated to be worth $600,000, SoCal Edison will pay the difference of $600,000.

If a property is intact but suffered damage, the utility would offer a flat payment. For example, a structure that was evaluated to have sustained “major damage,” the property owner would be paid $50,000. For minor damage, the payment would be $30,000. 

Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit in March against Southern California Edison over the deadly Eaton Fire in the Altadena area northeast of Los Angeles.

The lawsuit alleges that witnesses, photos and videos indicate the “fire started directly under SCE transmission lines in Eaton Canyon.” Edison International said in early February that video, photos and more are being reviewed to determine what started the Eaton Fire and that it is “exploring every possibility, including the possibility that SCE’s equipment was involved.”

The lawsuit, which names SoCal Edison and Edison International, seeks to recover costs and damages from the second-most destructive wildfire on record in California.

“I guess the question is — why would you be compensating people if you weren’t responsible for the fire,” said Douglas Boxer, an attorney.

The U.S. Justice Department also announced it’s suing SoCal Edison in September, alleging the utility’s negligence caused the Eaton and Fairview fires. The federal government sought $37 million in damages.

The Eaton Fire, one of several that broke out Jan. 7 in a Santa Ana windstorm, destroyed 9,400 structures and resulted in 17 deaths, according to CalFire.