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An vitality firm based mostly in Minnesota is dealing with blame for the largest wildfire in Texas history and has been sued by a Texas Panhandle resident, court docket paperwork confirmed.
Within the lawsuit filed Friday, attorneys for Hemphill County resident Melanie McQuiddy say a picket utility pole situated a few mile north of Stinnett, in Hutchinson County, “broke” and fell Feb. 26, “igniting” the Smokehouse Creek wildfire.
The picket utility pole is allegedly owned and operated by Southwestern Public Service Firm, a subsidiary of Xcel Power, a publicly traded firm based mostly in Minnesota, in response to the swimsuit.
The swimsuit argued that “gross negligence” from the 2 corporations, together with a 3rd — Osmose Utility Companies — that was employed to examine and report on the utility poles precipitated the fireplace.
“Sadly, for the folks residing, ranching, and dealing within the Texas Panhandle, the scourge of utility-caused wildfires has occurred once more, giving rise to the submitting of this lawsuit,” the swimsuit states.
The plaintiff is searching for compensation for injury to actual and private property injury attributable to the wildfire.
The swimsuit was filed in Hemphill County, court docket paperwork confirmed. Mikal Watts, who’s representing McQuiddy, didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
As of about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the blaze, dubbed the “Smokehouse Creek fire,” was estimated to be greater than 1 million acres and 15% contained, in response to the Texas A&M Forest Service incident map. At the very least two folks have died within the wildfire, the most important in Texas historical past and one of many greatest in U.S. historical past. Fires started sparking in that space Monday.
In a filing to the Securities Trade Fee final week, Xcel Power famous {that a} legislation agency had despatched the corporate a “discover of potential publicity for damages ensuing” from the Smokehouse Creek fireplace. The agency additionally requested {that a} fallen utility pole “inside the neighborhood of the fireplace’s potential space of origin be preserved,” the submitting learn.
Investigations into origin, trigger, and injury of the wildland fires burning in or close to the service territory of SPS, together with the Smokehouse Creek Fireplace, are underway,” the submitting says.
In July 2023, Xcel Power was sued by dozens of insurance coverage corporations in reference to a lethal 2021 blaze referred to as the “Marshall Fire” in Colorado, in response to a report by The Related Press. The corporate has denied that its tools was a reason for the fireplace, the information outlet reported.
In a written assertion Saturday, a spokesperson for Xcel Power mentioned the corporate is working to assist these affected by the wildfires within the Texas Panhandle.
“We’ll proceed to work in coordination with first responders and native officers to help the ability wants of our communities. There was no official willpower of trigger or causes for the fires within the Texas Panhandle and investigations are ongoing,” the corporate’s assertion learn.
Workers researcher Jennifer Brancato contributed to this report.
