Blog Post

Report Says Power Lines to Blame for San Diego Fire


July 11, 2008
Topic: Explosions and Fires

It was an investigative report that many people had waited for with anticipation. Lawyers representing homeowners against the San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Sempra Energy, have especially been waiting for further evidence that would prove that the power company's negligence in maintaining the power lines led to the devastating Witch fires. The Witch fires that spread through San Diego County were the most destructive of all the fires that swept through the region last fall. Now, a report by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has confirmed that "arcing power lines" were responsible for sparking the fire. That's not all. The fires in Guejito and Rice were also blamed on power lines in the report.

For the lawyers who are engaged in representing homeowners against the power companies, the report couldn't have come at a better time. They have long alleged that SDG&E had failed to maintain its power lines properly, resulting in the sparks.

In fall of last year, the Witch fires blazed through San Diego County and together with the Guejito fires burned a total of 200,000 acres, and destroyed a total of 1,141 homes, 239 vehicles and 509 outbuildings. The upscale Rancho Bernardo and Poway neighborhoods were not unaffected by the fire. At least two people were charred to death, while they were trapped in their homes.

Even so, SDG&E Company denied any wrongdoing or negligence on its part in the wrongful death of the two people who died in the fire, or the millions of dollars worth of damages, and the emotional price that the fire wreaked. It claims that the main cause of the fire were the powerful Santa Ana winds that caused the flames to spread. It has also blamed the fire department for being inadequately prepared for the fire, which resulted in the massive damages, and the wrongful death of people who died in the fire.

Strangely enough, the company does not deny that its power lines were to blame for starting the fire. Its position is that no company can completely protect its power lines from sudden sparks. A company statement said that no electrical systems can be "protected 100 percent" from the kind of weather conditions that were prevailing in San Diego County at that time.

Whatever the weather conditions at the time, the fact is that the company was solely responsible for maintaining its power lines and making sure that the negative weather conditions did not result in sparks from its power lines. California is no stranger to sudden bush fires, so there's no way to hide behind ignorance here.

With the report now confirming that their power lines were to blame for the devastating fires that have caused so much misery and destruction, SDG&E Company is looking at hefty compensation to victims of the fires.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of fires. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.