Eaton Fire caused by SCE tower, officials say

The Eaton Fire that killed 19 people in Los Angeles County in January 2025 was caused by an electrical incident on a decommissioned Southern California Edison transmission tower, county fire officials said in a report released Tuesday.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department released the findings after an 18-month investigation. It said electrical arcs ejected incandescent metal particles that fell onto dry vegetation at the base of the towers.

The line had been out of service for decades but could still receive power and was near high-voltage lines, according to the findings described in the report.

Southern California Edison had already acknowledged responsibility. The company launched a compensation fund for fire victims last fall to avoid lengthy and costly legal proceedings.

SCE spokesperson David Eisenhauer said the company had paid more than $375 million through the fund. “Our hearts are with the Altadena community, and we continue to support them as they recover and rebuild through our Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program,” he told AFP.

Eisenhauer said SCE had received the county fire report and was reviewing it. He said the company had taken its potential role in the start of the fire seriously from the beginning.