Altadena, California — A skilled nursing facility that cared for elderly and disabled residents near the Pasadena-Altadena border for more than five decades is now suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s electrical equipment ignited the Eaton Fire and destroyed the building.
Two Palms Care Center filed the lawsuit May 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court against SCE and its parent, Edison International. The complaint says the utility didn’t de-energize transmission lines on the evening of January 7, 2025, even though wind conditions exceeded SCE’s own shutoff thresholds and the National Weather Service had issued its highest-level warning, according to a release from Zimmerman Reed LLP, the firm representing the facility.
What happened next is the kind of scene operators rehearse for and hope never comes. Within an hour of ignition, flames reached the area around Two Palms. Staff evacuated 45 residents — many bedridden, some with dementia — using wheelchairs and rolling beds. Every resident survived. More than 15 months later, many are still in temporary placements at affiliated facilities, the firm said.
A 55-year-old facility, gone overnight
Two Palms was built in 1959 and operated under regulatory exemptions that no longer apply to new construction. The Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures across Pasadena and Altadena, making it the second most destructive wildfire in California history.
“Every one of our residents chose Two Palms, and their families trusted us with the people they love most,” said Juana Rodriguez, the facility’s administrator, in the release. “Filing this lawsuit is a necessary step toward rebuilding it and restoring the care this community still needs.”
The complaint cites SCE’s own investigation, which concluded its equipment was “likely the cause” of the fire. Cal Fire’s official investigation remains open.
What the lawsuit is asking for
The suit lists seven causes of action, including negligence, inverse condemnation, and trespass by fire. It seeks compensation for property loss, business interruption, and the cost of relocating residents — a bill that’s been climbing for more than a year.
“This case is about whether the systems designed to prevent disasters like this were followed when it mattered most,” said Caleb Marker, a partner at Zimmerman Reed.
For operators across the country, the Two Palms case is a sharp reminder that emergency planning isn’t just about getting residents out the door — it’s about what happens to a building, a payroll, and a community of residents once everyone is safely evacuated. After the deadly natural-gas explosion at a Pennsylvania facility earlier this year, regulators in that state began moving to overhaul nursing home emergency preparedness rules, a debate now playing out in fire-prone regions as well.
For the residents of Two Palms, the legal fight is also a personal one. A facility that opened during the Eisenhower administration is gone, and the people who lived there are still waiting to come home.
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