"Edison International Chief Executive Pedro Pizarro said Wednesday that the utility expects the first Eaton fire victims who have agreed not to sue the utility to get their settlement offers later this month. In an interview, Pizarro said that the utility decided to create the program to pay victims before the fire investigation was complete to get money to them more quickly and because it has become more apparent that the company's equipment ignited the inferno that killed 19 people."
"More than 6,000 homes and other properties were destroyed in the Jan. 7 fire that started under an Edison transmission tower in Eaton Canyon. The flames damaged an additional 700 to 800 homes, according to Edison. Those homes, as well as more than 11,000 others that were damaged by smoke and ash, are eligible for compensation under Edison's plan. To receive the money, the victims must agree not to sue Edison for the fire."
Edison created a voluntary settlement program to deliver payments quickly to Eaton fire victims who agree not to sue. The utility expects initial settlement offers to reach applicants by month's end and plans to pay accepted offers within 30 days. More than 6,000 homes were destroyed, 700–800 more were damaged, and over 11,000 properties experienced smoke or ash damage; those properties are eligible. So far 580 people have applied. Edison says a century-old transmission line unused since 1971 may have reenergized through induction and probably ignited the Jan. 7 blaze that killed 19 people. The first $1 billion in damages is covered by customer-paid insurance and a state wildfire fund will reimburse the utility.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]