Daily Journal Interviews Matthew and Patrick McNicholas on Edison Downplaying Role in Eaton Fire
As reported by the Daily Journal, Southern California Edison (Edison) distributed a letter downplaying the potential role of their utility equipment in starting the Eaton Fire. However, Partners Matthew McNicholas and Patrick McNicholas firmly believe that faulty Edison equipment sparked the blaze.
Matthew McNicholas commented, “We have had our experts in the area of origin, and we believe that there is strong evidence as to cause and origin from SCE equipment, as well as video that appears to show the major flashes that started the fire — flashes consistent with SCE’s equipment as the cause.”
Last week, Edison communicated two letters to the Public Utilities Commission, one concerning the Eaton Fire and the other about the Hurst Fire in Sylmar. In one of these letters, they suggested their equipment “may be linked to the cause of the Hurst Fire,” while in the other, Edison appeared to downplay potential responsibility for the Eaton Fire.
Other attorneys representing Altadena residents suggested that Edison’s letter was created to obscure the legitimate possibility that their equipment was responsible for the fire.
“They’re trying to thread a needle so that they can actually recognize the evidence against them without admitting fault,” Patrick McNicholas said to the Daily Journal. “But there is evidence, physical evidence, present at the place where the fire started, which indicates that that is where the fire started, and once we get their actual data, we’ll be able to examine it ourselves.”
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