Thursday, May 7, 2026

Nursing Home That Served Pasadena and Altadena for Decades Sues Edison Over Eaton Fire

Cell phone images of the first moments after the Eaton Fire ignited on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, on the mountainside opposite Midwick Drive’s terminus at N. Altadena Drive in Altadena. [Jennifer Errico]

Two Palms Care Center, destroyed the night of January 7, 2025, alleges SCE’s equipment ignited the blaze that forced the evacuation of 45 residents

Two Palms Care Center, a skilled nursing facility that cared for elderly and disabled residents near the Pasadena-Altadena border for more than 55 years, has sued Southern California Edison and its parent company, Edison International, alleging the utility’s faulty electrical infrastructure started the Eaton Fire that destroyed the facility.

The suit, filed May 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges SCE failed to de-energize transmission lines on the evening of January 7, 2025, despite wind conditions that exceeded the utility’s own shutoff thresholds and a National Weather Service warning at its highest level, according to a press release from Zimmerman Reed LLP, the firm representing Two Palms.

When flames reached the surrounding area within an hour of ignition, staff evacuated 45 residents — many bedridden, some with dementia — on wheelchairs and rolling beds. All survived. More than 15 months later, many remain in temporary placements at affiliated facilities, the press release stated.

“Every one of our residents chose Two Palms, and their families trusted us with the people they love most,” Juana Rodriguez, the facility’s administrator, said in the press release. “Filing this lawsuit is a necessary step toward rebuilding it and restoring the care this community still needs.”

The complaint cites SCE’s own investigation, which concluded its equipment was “likely the cause” of the fire, according to the press release. Cal Fire’s official investigation into the cause remains ongoing.

The Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures across Pasadena and Altadena, making it the second most destructive wildfire in California history.

Two Palms, built in 1959, operated under regulatory exemptions that no longer apply to new construction. The suit asserts seven causes of action, including negligence, inverse condemnation, and trespass by fire, and seeks compensation for property loss, business interruption, and relocation costs.

“This case is about whether the systems designed to prevent disasters like this were followed when it mattered most,” said Caleb Marker, a partner at Zimmerman Reed, in the press release.