Officials: PG&E equipment sparked deadly California wildfire

Source: Associated Press

Officials: PG&E equipment sparked deadly California wildfire

By JANIE HAR
May 15, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California fire officials said Wednesday that Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. power lines sparked a Northern California blaze that killed 85 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.

Cal Fire said transmission lines owned and operated by the San Francisco-based utility started the Nov. 8 fire in the Pulga area that nearly destroyed the town of Paradise in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The fire wiped out nearly 15,000 homes. Many of those killed were elderly or disabled. The oldest was 99.

The investigation also identified a second nearby ignition site involving PG&E’s electrical distribution lines that had come into contact with vegetation. The second fire was quickly consumed by the initial fire.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/b1a4e59eebad4fd6af9781a6498f675f