Introduction
In the aftermath of the catastrophic Gray fire, the residents affected have filed lawsuits against the utility company, Inland Power and Light. Two separate lawsuits allege that the utility company was responsible for the fires that burned approximately 11,000 acres, destroyed 240 structures, and caused a fatality. The lawsuits claim that the fires were caused by inadequate and poorly maintained power equipment.
The Lawsuits
The first lawsuit was filed on behalf of an individual plaintiff who claimed the fire was caused by a power line that was inadequate for the high fire-prone areas of east Washington.
According to AP Newswire, Inland Power made use of bare and uninsulated power lines that provided little to no protection against the risk of fires. In addition, the power company failed to maintain the trees and vegetation surrounding the area, creating further danger of a fast-moving fire.
The lawsuit alleged that the utility company was well aware that the area was prone to wildfires and that the high winds and arid conditions could turn a single spark into a fire that would spread rapidly, leaving residents little time to evacuate.
The second lawsuit filed against Inland Power alleged that the Gray Fire was caused by a faulty light fixture. In a news report by local TV station, KREM, the second lawsuit was filed on behalf of 40 people who were affected by the Gray Fire, stating that the fire was caused by a faulty outdoor light on a structure built and maintained by Inland Power. The complaint included reports of eyewitness accounts of sparks and molten material coming off the light fixture.
The Gray Fire
In August 2023, the residents of Medical Lake, Washington, were terribly impacted by a rapid and vicious fire that destroyed over 11,000 acres and ravaged communities.
The fire started on Friday, August 18, under extreme hot, arid, and windy conditions, fueling the spread of the fire. By the next day, the fire had spread to over 9,500 acres, prompting evacuations in the area. Local fire agencies battled the fire for weeks, finally reaching 100% containment on September 1, 2023. You can read more about the Gray Fire in a previous blog post.
Fire Litigation
The fire attorneys at CaseyGerry understand the challenges residents and their counsel face in complex fire litigation. CaseyGerry has decades of experience working with those who have been impacted by wildfires caused by the negligence of powerful utility companies. We represent the victims of the devastating 2018 Camp Fires, which claimed the lives of 88 individuals and destroyed whole communities. We worked diligently to hold one of the most powerful utility companies on the west coast, Pacific Gas and Electric (P&G), accountable for the devastation they caused.
We at CaseyGerry are distraught over the loss these individuals have experienced and stand in support of their pursuit for justice against utility companies whose neglect continues to inflict such tragedy on the very people they serve.
