A Southern California Edison transmission tower that was being eliminated as a part of an investigation into what induced the Eaton fireplace was broken Thursday because it was being lifted by a helicopter, officers mentioned.
The injury occurred when the highest portion of the tower got here into contact with energy traces, because it was being lifted, mentioned David Eisenhauer, spokesperson for Southern California Edison.
The tower was certainly one of two constructions that had been being eliminated as a part of their investigation into the reason for the devastating Eaton fireplace on Jan. 7. The opposite idle transmission tower, often called M16T1, or Tower 208 and situated on the suspected level of ignition, was eliminated on Wednesday. It was damaged up into two items and flown to a touchdown pad to be transported to a warehouse.
That tower was eliminated with out incident.
However that was not the case with the second tower, situated close to Gould substation in La Cañada Flintridge.
“We’re acknowledging there was some potential injury when an SCE tower was transported through helicopter,” Eisenhauer mentioned.
No accidents had been reported due to the incident.
It was not instantly clear how a lot injury was sustained by the tower, or if it could have any impression on the continuing investigation.
Eisenhauer mentioned the corporate was nonetheless assessing the injury to the tower, which was moved Thursday night to a touchdown pad.
The tower was to be disassembled into three components, and brought away to be examined Wednesday, however work was paused when the highest half got here into contact with energy traces.
Eisenhauer mentioned the facility traces that made contact with the tower weren’t energized on the time.
Whereas the official explanation for the hearth continues to be beneath investigation by Los Angeles County Fireplace, Edison Worldwide Chief Government Pedro Pizarro advised The Instances that induction — a uncommon incidence when idle tower and energy traces are reenergized — is now a number one idea into how the lethal fireplace was sparked.
As a part of an settlement amongst SCE, county investigators and a rising record of regulation corporations which have filed swimsuit in opposition to the utility large, the 2 towers had been scheduled to be eliminated and brought to a warehouse in Irwindale, the place they might be examined and examined to search for clues.
SCE has advised state regulators that 4 traces, together with the dormant Mesa-Sylmar line, noticed a surge {of electrical} present about the identical time that the hearth was began.
The corporate additionally detected a fault on the Eagle Rock-Gould line, which additionally connects to the Gould substation.
