Pacific Gas and Power Company (PG&E) May face criminal charges in 2020 Zog Fire, And the company is still under investigation after admitting earlier this month that its equipment may have caused the large Dixie fire that is still raging California.
in a Facebook On Thursday night, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett issued a statement stating that she believed PG&E was “criminally responsible” for the Zog fire that killed four people and destroyed hundreds of houses.
Bridget said she would make a “prosecution decision” against the largest U.S. utility company before the anniversary of the Zog fire on September 27, but she did not elaborate on the possible allegations.
Bridget’s office said in a statement: “The fire killed four people, damaged many houses and other buildings, killed wild animals and harmed our community.”
“I hope this information will make people aware of the importance of fire prevention during the current drought and severe wildfire season.”
in a statement In response to Bridget’s statement, PG&E described the effects of the fire as “heartbreaking” and explained that “we recognize that nothing can cure the hearts of those who have lost so much.”
However, the company claimed that it “has settled the civil claim with Shasta County and continues to reach a settlement with the individual victims and their families affected by the Zog fire” and stated that it disagreed that “in light of this fact, the criminal charges Is justified”. case. “
In March 2021, fire investigators concluded that the Zogg fire was triggered after a gray pine tree fell on the PG&E power line. Shasta and Tehama counties sued the utility company, claiming that the tree had been damaged. Marked to be demolished in 2018.
The fire eventually destroyed 204 houses in California and burned 56,338 acres of land, equivalent to 87.5 square miles of land-about 20 square miles more than Washington, DC
PG&E has faced several problems in the past few years after it was related to malfunctions or old equipment that reportedly caused a fire in California.
The utility company pleaded guilty to more than 80 involuntary homicides and filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after acknowledging that its equipment caused a campfire, resulting in 85 deaths and the destruction of 10,000 houses.
The company also made headlines earlier this month when it told regulators that its equipment could cause current Dixie FireSo far, it has burned 226,421 acres of land in California, and only 23% is still under control.
The fire that started on July 14 destroyed at least 8 residential buildings and also destroyed 64 commercial buildings. According to the California Fire Department.
The beginning of the Dixie fire
In court documents obtained by KCRA 3 on Thursday, PG&E stated that it had struggled for several hours to reach the fuse site near the start of the Dixie fire due to highway closures and difficult passages. Due to the steep slope, a crew member had to travel at a speed of 3 miles per hour.
The utility company is under investigation because it may have caused the Dixie fire. PG&E told local media that some of its equipment had been used by Cal Fire as part of the investigation, but confirmed that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Weekly newspaper Representatives of Bridgett and PG&E have been contacted for comments.
Alison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images
