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Utility says its equipment likely started a small blaze that erupted during January's LA firestorm

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Workers with Southern California Edison remove a utility pole damaged by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California utility said Thursday that its equipment likely sparked a wildfire in Los Angeles that broke out the same day as two massive blazes in the area killed at least 29 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

The admission by Southern California Edison over its likely role in the Hurst Fire, which did not destroy any structures or result in any deaths, came in a required filing with state utility regulators. In a second filing, the utility said it is looking into whether an idle transmission line became energized and possibly sparked the deadly Eaton Fire, while still maintaining that there’s no evidence that its equipment was responsible for starting that blaze.

Christopher Weber, The Associated Press


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