The Camp Fire was the single largest California wildfire in the state’s history. dmlawfirm.com
The petition claims that, “PG&E knew or should have known that a breach of those standards and duties constituted negligence and would expose members of the general public to risk of death, injury, & damage to their property.” dmlawfirm.com
The lawsuit further states that “PG&E has developed a regular pattern of placing its own profits before the safety of the California residents it serves and has demonstrated no intention of changing this pattern.” dmlawfirm.com
The suit lists several other episodes in which PG&E was alleged to be at the center of “safety lapses that caused injury and death to California residents, and destroyed or damaged property.” dmlawfirm.com
That list includes: A 1992 Santa Rosa Gas Explosion that killed two people and injured three.
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A 1994 Trauner Fire that burned down an historic schoolhouse and 12 homes. A Nevada County jury found PG&E guilty of 739 counts of criminal negligence. dmlawfirm.com
A 1994 Trauner Fire that burned down an historic schoolhouse and 12 homes. A Nevada County jury found PG&E guilty of 739 counts of criminal negligence. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
PG&E was forced to pay $24 million in penalties. A 1998 CPUC report showed PG&E had diverted $77.6 million from its tree-trimming budget to other uses from 1987 to 1994. dmlawfirm.com
PG&E was forced to pay $24 million in penalties. A 1998 CPUC report showed PG&E had diverted $77.6 million from its tree-trimming budget to other uses from 1987 to 1994. dmlawfirm.com
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In that same time, PG&E underspent its authorized maintenance budgets by $495 million, using that money instead to boost corporate profits. dmlawfirm.com
In that same time, PG&E underspent its authorized maintenance budgets by $495 million, using that money instead to boost corporate profits. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
A 1999 Pendola Fire that occurred when PG&E failed to remove a rotten pine. It burned for 11 days and scorched 11,725 acres, mostly in Tahoe and Plumas national forests. dmlawfirm.com
A 1999 Pendola Fire that occurred when PG&E failed to remove a rotten pine. It burned for 11 days and scorched 11,725 acres, mostly in Tahoe and Plumas national forests. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
PG&E paid a $14.75 million settlement to the U.S. Forest Service in 2009, and also reached a $22.7 million settlement with CPUC. dmlawfirm.com
PG&E paid a $14.75 million settlement to the U.S. Forest Service in 2009, and also reached a $22.7 million settlement with CPUC. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
2003 Mission Substation Electrical Fire that burned for two hours & 1/3 of San Francisco lost power. A CPUC report concluded, “PG&E did not implement its own recommendations from its own investigation of the 1996 fire.” dmlawfirm.com
2003 Mission Substation Electrical Fire that burned for two hours & 1/3 of San Francisco lost power. A CPUC report concluded, “PG&E did not implement its own recommendations from its own investigation of the 1996 fire.” dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
2004 Sims fire that burned more than 4,000 acres of forest land in Six Rivers and Trinity National Forests. A federal suit alleged PG&E failed to remove a decaying tree, which fell on a transmission line and began the blaze. dmlawfirm.com
2004 Sims fire that burned more than 4,000 acres of forest land in Six Rivers and Trinity National Forests. A federal suit alleged PG&E failed to remove a decaying tree, which fell on a transmission line and began the blaze. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
2010 San Bruno Gas Explosion that killed eight people and injured 58 as it destroyed an entire neighborhood. NTSB issued a report that blamed PG&E’s poor pipeline management. dmlawfirm.com
2010 San Bruno Gas Explosion that killed eight people and injured 58 as it destroyed an entire neighborhood. NTSB issued a report that blamed PG&E’s poor pipeline management. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
In April 2015, CPUC slapped PG&E with a $1.6 billion fine for causing the explosion and diverting maintenance funds into stockholder dividends and executive bonuses. dmlawfirm.com
In April 2015, CPUC slapped PG&E with a $1.6 billion fine for causing the explosion and diverting maintenance funds into stockholder dividends and executive bonuses. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
In Jan. 2017, a federal jury found PG&E guilty of 6 felony charges. The judge ordered PG&E to pay $3 million in fines for causing the explosion, & ordered the company to submit to court supervision of its natural gas operations. dmlawfirm.com
In Jan. 2017, a federal jury found PG&E guilty of 6 felony charges. The judge ordered PG&E to pay $3 million in fines for causing the explosion, & ordered the company to submit to court supervision of its natural gas operations. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
A 2015 San Francisco Electrical Explosion that injured two people, one critically. dmlawfirm.com
A 2015 San Francisco Electrical Explosion that injured two people, one critically. dmlawfirm.com
A 2015 Butte Fire in Calaveras County that ignited when a weak grey pine tree that PG&E should have removed struck a 12,0000-volt PG&E-owned power line. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
The fire burned for 22 days; killed two people; destroyed more than 70,000 acres; destroyed and/or damaged 475 residences, 343 outbuildings, & 45 other structures. Thousands were forced to evacuate their homes. dmlawfirm.com
The fire burned for 22 days; killed two people; destroyed more than 70,000 acres; destroyed and/or damaged 475 residences, 343 outbuildings, & 45 other structures. Thousands were forced to evacuate their homes. dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
The 2017 North Bay Fires that began when PG&E-owned equipment contacted vegetation due to “PG&E’s disregard of mandated safety practices and the foreseeable risks associated with its infrastructure.” dmlawfirm.com
The 2017 North Bay Fires that began when PG&E-owned equipment contacted vegetation due to “PG&E’s disregard of mandated safety practices and the foreseeable risks associated with its infrastructure.” dmlawfirm.com
Cont.
These fires killed at least 43 people, injured many others, burned more than 245,000 acres, destroyed more than 14,700 homes. dmlawfirm.com
These fires killed at least 43 people, injured many others, burned more than 245,000 acres, destroyed more than 14,700 homes. dmlawfirm.com
The petition also details the role of a consulting group hired to investigate PG&E’s safety practices in order to improve on them. The Liberty Consulting Group sent a report to the Safety & Enforcement Division of the CPUC in May 2013. dmlawfirm.com
Liberty concluded that “several aspects of the PG&E distribution system present significant safety issues.” dmlawfirm.com
Liberty found that, “addressing aging infrastructure and adding SCADA to the [PG&E] system comprise the major focuses of safety initiatives for the distribution system.” dmlawfirm.com
After the Liberty Report, PG&E began to state publicly that it was treating wildfires as an enterprise-level risk. dmlawfirm.com
“However,” reads the petition, “the methodology used by PG&E to evaluate the severity of that risk was, and is, unscientific and not based on valid statistical methodology. dmlawfirm.com
Instead, PG&E’s method is to engage in a group discussion where an agreement is reached on a specific risk level based on personal opinion, anecdotal evidence, and factual misconceptions. dmlawfirm.com
This process has led to PG&E’s failure to properly evaluate the frequency and severity of the risk posed by wildfires.” dmlawfirm.com
