More than ten victims Pacific Palisades Fire They are suing a Los Angeles utility company for “failures” they say contributed to the devastation caused by the fire.
The lawsuit, filed last week on behalf of community residents and a pizzeria owner, accuses the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power of failing to prepare for the Palisades Fire and allowing vital water supplies to remain dry before the blaze, which attorneys said was “a fire.” “The worst natural disaster in the history of the city of Los Angeles,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
“The water supply system serving the Pacific Palisades area failed catastrophically, leaving residents and firefighters with little or no water to fight the fire,” said Roger Biehl, an attorney representing a Palisades fire survivor whose family lost their home to the wildfires in 2020. He said in a statement.
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Santa Ynez Reservoir as seen from above on September 28, 2022. Shown here is the reservoir, which serves the Pacific Palisades and Brentwood areas, with a cover to prevent evaporation. (Hayley Smith/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“Santa Ynez Reservoir“The 117-million-gallon water storage complex that is part of Los Angeles’ water supply system was empty, and had been empty for about a year.”
The lawsuit alleges that the Santa Ynez Reservoir was taken out of service in February 2024 by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and drained due to “water quality concerns” after a rupture in the floating cap allowed debris, bird droppings and other objects to leak out. Enter the water supply.
By the time the Palisades Fire broke out, the required repair work had not been completed, and the tank remained empty, leaving fire crews “with little water” to fight the flames, the lawsuit continues.
“LADWP made a conscious decision not to repair the Santa Ynez tank cap in a timely manner, leaving the tank drained and unusable, all as a ‘cost-saving’ measure,” the attorneys say.
Water is dropped on the Palisades Fire by helicopter in Mandeville Canyon on Saturday, January 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jay Si Hong)
The general purpose of draining the tank and leaving it empty was to “seek contractor bids rather than engage in-house employees” to repair the tank, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the lawsuit states.
“The degree of damage caused by the Palisades Fire far outweighs any benefit that could have been achieved by outsourcing and delaying repairs to the Santa Ynez Reservoir,” say attorneys representing fire survivors.
California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered Independent investigation from LADWP on Jan. 10 regarding the loss of water pressure and the intentional shutdown of the tank, calling the matter “deeply troubling,” according to court records.
Newsom added that the loss of water pressure would “likely impair” firefighters’ ability to protect homes and evacuation zones in the Pacific Palisades area.
Flames and smoke billow from structures as the Palisades Fire burns during a wind storm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, US, January 8, 2025. (Reuters/Ringo Chiu)
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Eric Scott said there were “challenges with water pressure while fighting the Pacific Palisades Fire” and that water pressure “wasn’t quite what we needed,” the documents say.
The attorneys continue to argue that despite “severe warnings” by the National Weather Service of “critical fire weather” with the potential for “rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior,” LADWP was not prepared for the Palisades Fire.
“LADWP had a duty to properly establish, inspect, maintain and operate its water supply system. LADWP violated these duties,” the lawsuit alleges.
Firefighters monitor the progress of the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon on Saturday, January 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Residents of Pacific Palisades are suing the utility company for property damage and personal injuries they sustained.
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“The Palisades Fire was a traumatic event for its victims, who through no fault of their homeowners were made homeless within hours,” the attorneys wrote, adding that the fire claimed at least eight lives and left several others injured. Many civilians and firefighters were destroyed and at least 5,300 homes and businesses were destroyed in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga Canyon area.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Newsom’s office He did not immediately respond to comment.
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