Leading national fire litigation firm Singleton Schreiber filed a lawsuit against PacifiCorp alleging the utility company is responsible for the McKinney Fire, which was ignited by its poorly maintained utility infrastructure.
The complaint was filed on behalf of hundreds of individuals who owned property and/or lived in and near Siskiyou County, California. Their homes, businesses, and, in some cases, lives were destroyed when the 60,000+ acre fire tore through the area and resulted in four deaths.
According to the complaint, PacifiCorp, caused utility infrastructure contact creating sparks that ignited dry vegetation and debris. As it was PacifiCorp's responsibility to manage these utility lines, easements and other right of way issues, PacifiCorp is accused of completely failing in its obligation to maintain its equipment.
The resulting disaster caused damage to more than 100 homes, 11 buildings and has destroyed 185 structures catastrophically impacting the local community. The financial impact has not yet been reported but will likely be significant due to the scope of the blaze.
This is the second time in the last two years that PacifiCorp has started a fire that killed citizens of Siskiyou County. Earlier in the year the utility company was sued by the victims of the Slater Fire that took place in 2020 for negligently failing to maintain and operate its electrical equipment around surrounding vegetation.
PacifiCorp has been proven time and time again to put profits over safety, completely disregarding the community and natural resources that surround its utility infrastructure.
Media coverage of the PacifiCorp Lawsuit:
- SacBee: Homeowners sue utility PacifiCorp over McKinney Fire, worst California wildfire of 2022
- KDRV 12: FireWatch: California lawsuit blames PacifiCorp for McKinney Fire
- Redding Record Searchlight: Electric utility PacifiCorp sued, accused of causing deadly McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County
- KRCR ABC 7: Power company sued over the start of the McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County
- KLCC: Lawsuit alleges PacifiCorp is responsible for McKinney Fire
- Mail Tribune: Lawsuit claims PacifiCorp equipment sparked McKinney Fire
- Action News Now: California lawsuit blames PacifiCorp for McKinney Fire
- Action News Now: California lawsuit blames PacifiCorp for McKinney Fire (Video)
- Los Angeles Times: Lawsuit alleges utility company is responsible for deadly McKinney fire in Northern California
- CBS News Sacramento: Lawsuit alleges that utility company started the deadly McKinney Fire
- Daily Journal: PacifiCorp accused of causing McKinney Fire
- SF Chronicle: Lawsuit alleges that Northern California utility PacifiCorp sparked deadly McKinney Fire
