PG & E says its equipment is probably causing a fire in a camp, while the investigation continues: NPR

Pacific Gas and Electric says it's "probable" that its equipment caused the fire that occurred in northern California, the deadliest and most destructive in the history of the United States. State.

California has not completed its investigation of PG & E's culpability in the November fire, which has killed at least 85 people, destroyed about 14,000 structures, displaced tens of thousands of people and destroyed the city of Paradise. However, the state's largest public service, which declared bankruptcy last month, said Thursday that the investigation should reveal that its damaged infrastructure sparked the fire.

The company faces billions of dollars in potential debt and nearly two dozen lawsuits from camp fire victims, including allegations of poor equipment maintenance. A lawsuit claims that the public service has favored publicity spending on fires and public safety.

PG & E declared bankruptcy in January because of the legal liability that could be attributed to it two years of devastating fires in the state, including the camp fire. The company, which has seen its prices fall since the November 8 fire in Butte County, plans to include a charge of $ 10.5 billion pre-tax related to Camp Fire claims in its fourth quarter results.

In his statement on Thursday, the public service reported damage to a tower near the fire, which had already been reported to the supervisory authorities, as probably the cause of the fire.

The fire began around 6:30 am near the tower, located on the Caribou-Palermo transmission line, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

PG & E also said in a statement that its Big Bend circuit had failed at 6:45. Employees "found damage to the pole, equipment and fallen cables" at a location that Cal Fire identified as another potential ignition point, according to the company. . But the company said it had not determined if this site was a "probable" source of fire.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra told a court in December that PG & E could be criminally prosecuted – including not having power lines in the shelter of trees or trees. vegetation, unconsciously causing wildfire and murder – recent deadly fires, reported the Los Angeles Times.

A previous state-led investigation had revealed that PG & E was not responsible for the Tubbs fire in 2017 in Sonoma County, which had claimed 22 lives.