Crime & Safety

17 More Lawsuits Filed Against PG&E for Pipeline Explosion

With lawsuits continuing to pile up, PG&E asks California's rule-making body for courts to put all cases in front of one judge.

Seventeen more lawsuits have been filed against PG&E since the beginning of the month, bringing the total related to the deadly to more than 30.

The lawsuits, filed in San Mateo County Superior Court between Nov. 4 and Friday, represent 10 families and 9 individuals who claim they were affected in some way by the Crestmoor disaster.

Of those suits, at least five involve families whose homes were destroyed and at least half a dozen involved families whose homes were damaged. Most of the people were at home when the explosion rocked the neighborhood, and some were on vacation and were held in suspense as they watched the neighborhood burn on TV.

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The charges include negligence, infliction of emotional distress, strict liability, private and public nuisance and trespassing.

Among the residents' accusations are that the pipeline that exploded, , was a "ticking timebomb" and that Pacific Gas & Electric Co. failed to repair it despite ranking the line one of the most dangerous in the state and hiking up customers' rates. Some of the residents also claim they smelled gas coming from the street and sewers at least three weeks before the pipeline ruptured.

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Pacific Gas & Electric Co. continues to say that it respects the residents' decisions to file lawsuits against the utility and remains committed to helping rebuild the neighborhood.

Last week, the utility also filed a petition to the Judicial Council of California, the state's rule-making body for courts, to have one judge hear all the cases filed against PG&E related to the fire—including two lawsuits filed in San Francisco Superior Court—"so that the entire litigation process will be as effective, efficient, and transparent as possible for all plaintiffs, PG&E, and the Court."

According to the San Mateo County Times, a response from the judicial council could come within 60 days.

Update: In addition to the lawsuits mentioned in this story, one more lawsuit was filed against PG&E in connection with the Crestmoor fire on Nov. 12. That suit was filed by a mother and her 15-year-old daughter who were visiting a relative's home on Concord Way when the explosion happened, causing both to suffer second- and third-degree burns.


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