PASADENA, CA – Earlier this week, the KJT Law Group said it, with former District Attorney Steve Cooley and Parris Law Firm, has filed a mass tort lawsuit against Southern California Edison (SCE).
The parties allege SCE, an electricity company in Southern California, is at fault for the current Eaton Fire.
The Eaton Fire, which is currently uncontained, has burned thousands of structures, taken at least 16 lives, and has left thousands displaced, according to KJT Law Group’s statement.
KJT Law Group cited founding partner Caspar Jivalagian, who recently commented on the Eaton Fire: “I was raised in Pasadena. Seeing this happen to my hometown is beyond comprehension. This is about accountability. We will not sit by without demanding answers on how this happened and why it wasn’t prevented—no matter who we are up against.”
Southern California Edison did not prepare with sufficient preventative measures upon the announcement of the Santa Ana winds, according to the KJT Law Group, adding, there are “numerous eye-witness accounts (that) have indicated the fire originated at a power structure in Altadena.”
The KJT Law Group statement quotes an Altadena resident who stated, “The fire started towards the top of the mountain and rushed down so fast we didn’t have any time to think or pack anything. The majority of our street is burned to the ground and the street behind me has only two homes left…It’s heartbreaking.”
According to KJT, the havoc of the Eaton fire “comes at a time when insurance companies have been fleeing California, with many fire insurance plans having expired on Dec. 31, 2024 with no option for renewal.”
KJT Law Group maintains it was created to fight “for the rights of ordinary individuals and protect them against the interests of large corporations, major insurance companies, and other powerful entities.”
“We want everyone in Pasadena and Altadena to know that they are not alone,” stated Jivalagian, who, according to the KJT Law Group statement, has a brother currently working to contain the Eaton Fire as a firefighter.
“This is personal for us. We are going to do everything in our power to help those impacted—irrespective of their homeowner’s insurance. This is not about profit—it’s about people,” said the law firm.
