David Dreier, who spent three decades representing the Southland in Congress, is the latest person to sue Southern California Edison Co. over the Woolsey Fire, accusing the utility of negligence and improper maintenance of its equipment, leading to the loss of his Malibu home.
“This is the only house I’ve ever owned,” Dreier said in a statement released by his attorneys. “I’m alive, so that makes me one of the fortunate ones. But, while it’s not a life, a house can still be one of your best friends.”
According to his Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, filed Monday, Dreier lost his Kanan Dume Road home in the Woolsey Fire, which began Nov. 9 and burned nearly 100,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, destroying more than 1,600 structures and killing three people.
Although an official cause of the fire has not been determined, multiple lawsuits have been filed blaming Edison power equipment for sparking the blaze and contending the utility failed to de-energize its electrical lines during severe wind gusts that prompted wildfire warnings.
Responding to Dreier’s lawsuit, Edison stated, “At this time, SCE is not commenting on any lawsuits associated with the Woolsey Fire, as an ongoing investigation is underway by Cal Fire and Ventura County Fire. SCE is fully cooperating in their investigation.”
The lawsuit by Dreier, who is the board chairman of Tribune Publishing Co., seeks unspecified damages. His attorneys contend he lost his home “and five generations of personal possessions,” including “an extensive art and book collection as well as historic items from his years representing California in our nation’s capital.”
Dreier, a Republican, served in Congress from 1981 to 2013.