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Lawsuit claims company behind Eaton Fire evacuation warnings was negligent
Apartments in Altadena during the Eaton Fire.
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Lawsuit claims company behind Eaton Fire evacuation warnings was negligent
The family of a woman who died in the fire says she got the warnings too late
Topline:
The family of Stacey Darden, who died in the Eaton Fire, has filed a lawsuit claiming that Genasys Inc., hired by L.A. County to provide evacuation warnings, was negligent that night. While it provided warnings in enough time to the houses on the east of Lake Avenue, they came too late for those on the west, her lawyers say.
Why it matters: The Eaton Fire in January led to 19 deaths, 18 of them west of Lake Avenue. It’s the first lawsuit targeting the alerts system in Altadena, according to a spokesperson for L.A. Fire Justice, the law firm behind the lawsuit.
Second company sued: The lawsuit also accuses SoCal Edison of negligence in the maintenance of its transmission equipment and the clearing of vegetation around its transmission facilities.
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The backstory: Texas-based lawyer Mikal Watts helped file this latest suit. See a copy of the it here. The defendants are seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
What's next: Genasys Inc. did not reply to a request for comment. SoCal Edison spokesperson Jeff Monford told LAist: “We are reviewing the lawsuit that has been filed and will respond through the legal process.”
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