Residents captured a screen shot from Fox of a transformer exploding.
If the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had no part in the Palisades Fire, why did L.A. City hire Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP to defend it against lawsuits? Munger Tolles & Olson (MTO), which is ranked as one of the top law firms in the country, started representing DWP on January 12, five days after the fire.
In a letter to MTO, from the law firms of Boyle Law, FBBB&C, McNulty Law and Robertson Associations, LLP, DWP is accused of purposely misleading the public and covering up about the fact that power lines were involved in the Palisades Fire.
The lawyers allege that the concealment of this information is a cover-up on a monumental scale.
“LADWP knew that its pole nos. 112621M and 112622M broke during the wind event on January 7 and the energized conductors attached to the poles fell to the ground in heavy vegetation.”
The lawyers’ letter points out that since the day of the fire, LADWP has had exclusive control of the broken poles, downed conductors and the fault data associated with this sub-transmission circuit. In other words, LADWP has had the opportunity to conceal evidence.
A victim captured sparking power lines off Radcliffe, before the neighborhood started burning.
A resident captured sparking power lines near Racliffe Avenue on January 7.
A victim stopped on Pacific Coast Highway, near Malibu Village, captured a utility pole that suddenly caught fire, with no fire activity immediately surrounding the pole.
A resident driving on PCH captures a utility pole that seemed to suddenly catch fire.
The letter notes that “We believe that failures of LADWP power equipment throughout the Palisades were a substantial cause of multiple new fires, and contributed to the continuation of fires, throughout the entire length of the Palisades Fires.”
The lawyers have asked for DWP to 1) photograph, video record, catalog and stores of all electric distribution equipment. 2) evidence related to investigation into LADWP’s association with the ignition of a fire in Temescal Canyon. 3) to preserve communication, specifically deleted texts from Mayor Bass. 4) notifications about inspections or repairs on DWP equipment. 5) Imagery of a sub-transmission line and 6) list of items taken into possession, single-line diagram, presently existing failure analysis.
(Editor’s note: CTN asked DWP through a public records request when the electricity was turned off in the Palisades and this was the response.
“LADWP worked closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department to develop this emergency protocol that reduces fire risk while continuing vital functions powered by electricity. LADWP does not use PSPS (public safety power shutoffs) in the City of LA. Instead, in High Fire Risk Areas, we block our automated circuit reclosers to prevent circuits impacted by wind from reenergizing during high winds if they experience an outage or disruption (relay). This is because reenergizing is a common source of fire in these situations. If a circuit relays or locks-out, we do not automatically attempt to restore it remotely. We then patrol the electric line prior to reenergizing the circuit.
“LADWP’s service area is highly densely populated and has fewer power lines in the highest fire risk areas. Impacts to critical city services, including emergency response, the ability to fight fires, traffic and streetlights, as well as impacts to vulnerable people at home, are risks of widespread power outages, as are hospitals, dialysis centers and care centers. LADWP’s plan is audited every three years by an independent third party and is submitted to state regulators as required.”)
Who know what to believe?! It is difficult to live in a City where it’s employees care more about their pension than their jobs
Life is short. We need a hero. Someone who can see the bigger picture and move us forward – effectively. Someone who would rather not waste the time and money on what is already quite clear: the City of LA (and the majority of those who run it) are incompetent and corrupt. We need a hero. We need someone like Mr. Caruso to help us incorporate and build a local infrastructure that actually protects us. In the meantime, the City needs to payout property owners what insurance does not cover so that they can homes/trailors/condos etc can be built as they were on January 6th.