Porter Ranch Lawsuit Update: SoCalGas Sanctions Payment for Withholding Evidence

The Fairview Fire has so far consumed 12 homes and killed two people. More than 18,000 structures were threatened as of Friday morning, according to the LA Times.

As winds from Tropical Storm Kay are expected to reach more than 40 mph in some parts, fire officials warned flames could jump the fire lines, further increasing the size of this already deadly wildfire.

Flooding and mud slides could be another obstacle as fire crews continue battling on the front lines. The Riverside County Emergency Management Department warned of flash flooding and debris flows countywide through Saturday night.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday declared a state of emergency for Riverside County in addition to El Dorado and Placer counties where firefighters tried to contain the Mosquito Fire with little success so far.

Cause of Fairview Fire Not Confirmed

In a report filed by Southern California Edison with the California Public Utilities Commission on Monday, Sept 5, the utility company said its information reflected “circuit activity” close to the time and location the fire started. Often such reports are the first steps before a utility company accepts blame.

“Out of an abundance of caution, SCE submits this report as it involves an event that may meet the significant public attention and/or media coverage reporting requirement,” the report stated.

A spokesperson for Edison, Gabriela Ornelas, confirmed the report to The Press-Enterprise earlier this week but did not elaborate. The report was issued about four hours after the fire started.

A circuit activity could mean an arcing event, which happens when a power line contacts another piece of equipment on a power pole.

Utility Companies Often to Blame for Wildfires

Some of California’s most devastating wildfires were caused by investor-owned utility companies. In some cases, executives were criminally charged such as the case with PG&E officials following the Kincade Fire in April 2021.

Edison was blamed for the 2017 Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara and the 2018 Woolsey Fire in Malibu. In the Woolsey Fire, Edison settled for $2.2 billion.

Utility companies have a responsibility to maintain key infrastructure and keep the brush clear beneath power lines in remote locations. Downed lines during high winds, and in some cases birds or metallic balloons, are known to spark fires. Experts say these wildfires are practically inevitable given the utility companies’ poorly-maintained power grid and their negligence in clearing the right-of-way.

A report by California’s state auditor earlier this year found that state officials failed to hold California’s electric utilities accountable. The state’s Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety approved wildfire prevention plans put forward by utility companies even though they were seriously deficient. Among them was PG&E, which was found responsible for sparking the Camp Fire in 2018 that killed 85 people marking the state’s deadliest.

Since 2015, power lines have caused six of California’s 20 most destructive wildfires, according to the report. Outdated equipment and uninsulated lines were mainly to blame.

Resources for Fairview Fire Evacuees

Parts of Riverside were under a flood watch and high-wind warning Friday, with gusts reaching up to 70 mph in the mountains.

For those in the Hemet and Temecula areas, an evacuation center is located at the Taquitz High School at 4425 Titan Trail in Hemet and at the Temecula Community Recreation Center at 30875 Rancho Vista Road. Here residents can seek shelter, gather needed supplies and meet up with loved ones.

For residents with large animals, they can board pets at the Riverside County Animal Shelter at 438 S. State Street in San Jacinto, and small animals can be taken to 601 S. State Street in San Jacinto.

For a map of the evacuation area, visit CAL Fire at Fire.Ca.Gov.

For the CAL Fire / Riverside County Fire Information Center, call (951) 940-6985.

Fairview Fire: How to Prepare Your Home in Case of Fire

There are three ways that a home is exposed to wildfire: by direct flames, radiant heat from nearby burning vegetation or structure, and flying embers. In some cases, a home fire could be sparked by a single ember traveling from miles away.

The most vulnerable parts of any home are the roof, chimney, overhanging eaves, vents, decks, fencing, and shrubs around the home. The goal is not to fireproof the property, but limit its ability to act as a fuel source. In some cases, due to lack of upkeep or certain building materials, a house could be more flammable than the forest around it.

Here are several things you can do as a homeowner to help protect your home in case of a wildfire. Most of these are tasks you should perform well ahead of time, but some are things you can do immediately.

• Build your roof with composition, clay, metal or tile. The roof is the most vulnerable part of the home due to its large surface area.
• Remove any vegetative debris from the side of the house. This is known as defensible space. In some areas most at risk, you might be required to maintain up to 100 feet of cleared ground from your house.
• Cover all vents with a metal mesh to prevent embers from entering the home.
• Install dual pane windows to reduce radiant heat and screens to keep embers out.
• Keep rain gutters clear so that dry tinder left behind does not ignite.
• Cover the chimney with a non-flammable screen.
• Close the fireplace flue as embers could land in the chimney igniting a fire.
• Have multiple hoses ready around the house. If you have a pool, get a water pump so that you can use the water to douse the house.
• Before evacuating, cover the house with water and soak the ground around the house as much as possible.

Fairview Fire Victims: Call PARRIS to Help

The PARRIS Law Firm has helped to recover substantial compensation for clients affected by wildfires, including the Woolsey Fire. Some lost everything – their homes burned completely to the ground without insurance – while others suffered smoke damage.

No matter the level of damage, no matter your level of insurance coverage, our wildfire attorneys are here to help.

Even if you have homeowners insurance but it did not cover the full cost of the damage to your property, you still may be able to seek compensation through a lawsuit.

There is no cost to you to pursue a case. We only get paid when we win.

Call the PARRIS Law Firm today if you or someone you know might need help working through the process. Our experienced wildfire attorneys who specialize in these types of cases can analyze your situation from the moment you contact your insurance company to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

On October 23, 2015, SoCalGas employees discovered natural gas spewing from well SS-25 at the Aliso Canyon Gas Storage Facility. The unprecedented leak unleashed methane, methyl mercaptan, and aromatic hydrocarbons into the air around the facility, sickening residents of nearby Porter Ranch. Residents experienced a range of symptoms, including nausea, headaches, severe bloody noses, and exacerbated health conditions. Schools were closed, and thousands of families requested temporary relocation.

The leak continued for 118 days before SoCalGas was able to plug the well. All told, nearly 100,000 tons of methane and other gases were released into the atmosphere.

SoCalGas and Sempra Energy continue to deny any wrongdoing.

The Legal Battle

Following the disaster, 35,717 individuals from Porter Ranch filed claims against SoCalGas for personal injury and property damage due to the gas leak.

The road to justice has not been easy. Throughout the litigation process, SoCalGas, Sempra Energy, and their counsel were sanctioned over $5.7 million for violating the discovery process. The court reprimanded the defendants for wrongfully withholding over 150,000 documents.

In February 2020, the court awarded $525,610 in sanctions against the defendants and their counsel, writing that their discovery violations were “willful, intentional and in bad faith.”

The Result

Sempra and SoCalGas will pay $1.8 billion to settle all personal injury claims for victims of the Aliso Canyon Gas Well Blowout. All told, the defendants will have been held accountable for $2.35 billion worth of damages.

Subject to certain conditions, the settlement money will be allocated among the plaintiffs in accordance with a protocol developed by neutral, independent allocators.

Together with the plaintiffs’ attorneys from other law firms, PARRIS released a statement regarding the settlement:

“Our goal has always been obtaining justice for the men, women, and children who were failed by SoCalGas throughout every turn of this catastrophe. This settlement, and the numerous discovery sanctions imposed by the court, hold Sempra and SoCalGas accountable for the Aliso Canyon blowout and their repeated misconduct throughout this litigation.”

As this long, difficult chapter comes to an end, we are grateful that residents of Porter Ranch will finally have closure.

Read more of this story from ABC7 and the Los Angeles Times.

Read more about how PARRIS fights for victims of toxic torts and gas leaks.

“This study shows that SoCal Gas knew about leaks at Aliso Canyon for more than 40 years, but instead of fixing the problem they sat back and let it happen over and over again,” said PARRIS Law Firm attorney R. Rex Parris. “SoCalGas’ long history of showing a complete disregard not only for the safety of the communities near the defective Aliso Canyon wells but also for the adverse short and long term impacts on the health of its customers, is shameful,” Panish Shea & Boyle attorney Brian Panish added. “For decades, the utility had full knowledge that the safety of its pipelines had been jeopardized and yet failed to take any steps to prevent the 2015 Porter Ranch Gas Well Blowout or warn the public of the likelihood of a catastrophic event even occurring.”

The law firms representing the families, residents, and homeowners impacted by the Porter Ranch gas well blowout issued the following statement:

“These findings confirm what we knew all along: SoCalGas failed in its basic responsibilities, SoCalGas failed to warn the public, and SoCalGas failed the people at every turn. Tens-of-thousands of individuals were impacted and suffered as a result of the Aliso Canyon catastrophe – they’ve suffered from their health, endured months of displacement from their homes during the holidays, and experienced property loss. The future impact on these communities remains unclear. Questions remain as to the exact chemical nature of the additives in the gas, and with the wells so close to fresh water there is no telling the exact nature of the environmental impact here. One thing is clear – if SoCalGas had simply done its most basic job, this catastrophe would have been avoided.”

• Latest News
• Environmental Law
• PARRIS Seeks Justice for Victims With First Woolsey Fire Lawsuit

On November 8, 2018, a massive wildfire, known as the Woolsey Fire, engulfed the dry hills of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and was exacerbated by California’s drought-like conditions. Over the past couple of weeks, it has burned close to 100,000 acres of land and has destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. At a moment’s notice, Woolsey Fire victims were forced to abandon their homes, not knowing if their homes would be there when they returned. In addition to homes, the fire has taken historic landmarks and film sets in the area. It also prompted the closure of the U.S. Route 101 Freeway, which left residents attempting to evacuate with no other way to escape.

The Woolsey Fire was not an act of God; it was an avoidable event. In the days leading up to it, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning, advising residents of fire-prone conditions. Despite the signs and warnings, Southern California Edison (SCE) failed to turn off power to areas with Red Flag warnings and gambled with the chance of sparking a wildfire. SCE blatantly disregarded public safety by failing to control the vegetation growth near its power lines, ignoring the weather warnings, and failing to maintain its electrical equipment safely.

In addition to the widespread devastation, the flames spread to the site of a nuclear reactor meltdown in the Santa Susana Complex. This could spread radiological and chemical contamination, causing extensive damage and potential health issues.

Four days after the fire began, Edison provided a preliminary report to the California state regulator that revealed it indeed had had an issue on an electrical substation circuit unit shortly before the Woolsey Fire was reported.

PARRIS has filed the first Woolsey Fire class-action lawsuit against Southern California Edison on behalf of victims. The Plaintiffs seek economic and non-economic damages inflicted upon homeowners, renters, and businesses. Hundreds of people have lost everything in the historically catastrophic Woolsey Fire, and it is our mission to help restore the balance in their lives.

Contact PARRIS for your free fire case evaluation or to join the lawsuit.

On August 2, 2021, PARRIS Law Firm filed a government claim—the first step to a lawsuit—on behalf of El Segundo residents exposed to toxic chemicals after a massive L.A. sewage spill in July.

If you live in El Segundo and would like to join the lawsuit, visit the Hyperion website or call 310-362-3921 to speak to our legal team.

What Happened: A Massive L.A. Sewage Spill

On July 11, 2021, debris clogged the sewage filtering system at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant (“Hyperion Plant”) in Playa Del Rey. As a result, untreated wastewater overflowed onto the plant’s surface, releasing hydrogen sulfide and other harmful pollutants into the air around the facility.

These harmful gases are now making life unbearable for the families living in the neighboring city, El Segundo. “The air quality is so poor, residents have to wear masks inside their own homes so they can get temporary relief from the chemicals and noxious odors,” said PARRIS founding attorney R. Rex Parris. “Every resident in El Segundo should be evacuated and placed into comparable housing until LASAN has the situation under control.”

Cleanup is expected to continue for weeks. Until then, high amounts of hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases continue to pollute the air in and around El Segundo homes.

The Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a “rotten egg” smell. It occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas, but can also be produced by bacterial breakdown of organic materials and human and animal wastes (e.g., sewage).

Hydrogen sulfide is both an irritant and a chemical asphyxiant. Symptoms of exposure include:

• Dizziness
• Eye, Nose, and Throat Irritation
• Respiratory Distress
• Anxiety
• Nausea
• Vomiting

The gas emanating from the Hyperion Plant is reportedly making El Segundo residents sick. As people are unable to continue their lives, many families have been forced to relocate or purchase air conditioning units. Neither of these options are cheap, but living with hydrogen sulfide in the air is both intolerable and unsafe.

What We Can Do About It

El Segundo residents have suffered needlessly at the hands of LASAN’s negligence. “It’s clear that LASAN has no interest in taking care of these residents without being forced to by legal action,” said El Segundo-based attorney Mark Bloom of Bloom Injury Law, who has partnered with PARRIS Law Firm. “It’s outrageous that residents are smelling raw sewage inside their homes for close to a month and have to suffer physical effects too,” Bloom added.

While LASAN continues to clean up the sewage spill, El Segundo residents are entitled to reimbursements for hotels or air conditioners. However, before residents submit their request for reimbursement, it is important to consult with an attorney beforehand.

The PARRIS lawsuit against LASAN seeks to recover monetary damages for your inability to live in your home, the cost to remediate your home contaminated by the toxic odors, and your current and future health care costs related to this incident.

Visit this page to learn more or to join the lawsuit.

With the help of PARRIS environmental lawyers, nearly 700 Porter Ranch residents filed claims against the State of California and local smog regulators. They claim that the state and the South Coast Air Quality Management District were negligent in their oversight of Southern California Gas’s underground gas storage field.

The lawsuit names the state Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil and Gas, alleging its leaders issued permits improperly to SoCal Gas.

The claims must be reviewed by the agencies, and if they are rejected, that clears the way for the residents and their lawyers to sue. They also name SoCalGas, alleging it failed to keep dozens of old gas wells in good repair.

Many of the same residents and agencies are already suing SoCalGas alleging other damages from the massive gas leak.

To read the full report click here.