Two Butte Fire victims are suing PG&E and Trees, INC, the contractor in charge of maintaining trees for the utility company. The lawsuit filed today claims the companies were negligent and failed to clear trees close to power lines.
"I've heard there are at least two individuals who saw the tree actually fall into the line," Gerald Singleton an attorney out of San Diego representing the two Calaveras County residents.
"Both of them literally lost everything that they owned," Singleton said. "If you have a properly constructed, maintained and inspected line, you will never have a situation where a tree is expected to fall upon it." CALFIRE said they're still investigating the cause of the fire and that PG&E is cooperating in the process. The utility company said will respond to the lawsuit in the normal legal process.
In the meantime, many others want in. On Tuesday another group of lawyers held a meeting with fire victims to discuss their options. "I lost my good home that I've enjoyed all these years," Ron Miller, a Butte fire victim, said. Ron and Sandy Miller said if a lawsuit were successful, they could use the money to help them recover from their loss.
"All of us make mistakes," Sandy Miller, a Butte fire victim, said. "So yes it's their fault and they will pay because that's what the law says."
