A newly surfaced surveillance video appears to show flashes of light near electrical towers moments before the deadly Eaton fire ignited in Southern California, raising fresh questions about the blaze's origin despite Southern California Edison's assertions that its equipment was not involved.
The video, captured by a gas station camera on January 7, shows bright flashes at 6:11 p.m. near three high-voltage transmission towers in Eaton Canyon, followed shortly by flames. The location matches eyewitness accounts from residents who reported seeing similar flashes and fire activity around the towers that evening.
The Eaton fire went on to claim 17 lives and destroy over 10,000 structures, with estimated damages reaching up to $10 billion according to analytics firm Verisk.
Southern California Edison maintains it has no record of electrical failures on its lines in the area when the fire started. The utility had de-energized three low-voltage distribution lines serving the area hours before the blaze, but kept power flowing through high-voltage transmission lines despite wind gusts reaching 100 mph.
"We're not seeing any electrical anomaly until more than an hour after the reported start time of the fire," said Pedro Pizarro, CEO of Edison International, in an earlier interview. However, the company's stance has evolved - they recently disclosed detecting a fault at a substation five miles away at 6:11 p.m., the same time as the recorded flashes.
Experts note that high-voltage transmission equipment can potentially spark fires through a process called arcing, where electricity jumps between points and can melt metal components, dropping molten material onto dry brush below.
The video evidence could prove pivotal for ongoing investigations and lawsuits. At least a dozen legal actions have already been filed against Edison on behalf of victims. However, California legislation from 2019 limits utility liability for wildfire damages, creating a $21 billion fund to help cover costs exceeding $1 billion.
While investigators continue examining evidence, including the newly surfaced video, determining the official cause could take months. Edison officials, who had not seen the footage until recently, have called for it to be shared with investigators immediately.