Wildfires

Lawsuit Filed Against SoCal Edison, First in Coastal Fire Case

The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

NBC Universal, Inc.

Wednesday marks one full week since the destructive Coastal Fire first sparked, and the first lawsuit has been filed in the case.

Families affected by the fire are suing Southern California Edison, the utility company that reported possible "circuit activity" at about the time the fire started.

The families filing the lawsuit accuse the utility company of failing to maintain their equipment and trim vegetation.

The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A spokesperson for SoCal Edison tells NBC4 that it would be "inappropriate" to discuss any litigation.

Before firefighters with the Orange County Fire Authority put out the flames, the Coastal Fire spread to 200 acres in size after starting as a brush fire in the Aliso Woods Canyon. The fire destroyed 20 homes and damaged another 11.

Around 900 homes in the area faced mandatory evacuations.

The fire, which tore through the Laguna Niguel neighborhood last week, was fully contained as of Tuesday.

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