ALTADENA, Calif. –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury Attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel Anne Andrews have filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of the family of Erliene Kelley, an 83-year-old retired pharmacy technician who tragically perished in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuit seeks to hold Southern California Edison (SCE) and its parent company, Edison International, accountable for their alleged negligence in one of California’s deadliest wildfires.
On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ignited in Eaton Canyon, fueled by high winds and exacerbated by SCE’s failure to maintain its electrical infrastructure and vegetation management systems. The fire ravaged more than 14,000 acres, destroying over 7,000 homes and structures and displacing nearly 40,000 residents. Ms. Kelley was among at least 16 lives lost.
The complaint alleges that SCE’s aging electrical equipment and its decision not to de-energize power lines, despite warnings from the National Weather Service and hazardous weather conditions, caused the fire. Additionally, the lawsuit details SCE’s failure to meet its safety obligations, including maintaining proper vegetation clearance and inspecting aging infrastructure.
“Erliene Kelley was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who should still be with her family today,” said Crump. “Her death was the result of Edison International and Southern California Edison’s repeated prioritization of profits over public safety. This lawsuit seeks justice for the Kelley family and accountability for the corporate negligence that contributed to her untimely death.”
Ms. Kelley, described as the heart of her close-knit Altadena community, had lived in her family home since 1968. On the night of the fire, she was unable to evacuate due to blocked roads and fallen utility poles. Her home was consumed by flames, and her body was discovered in the rubble the following day.
This is the second lawsuit that Crump and Andrews have filed on behalf of victims of the recent Los Angeles area fires.
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.