Nursing Home Destroyed in Eaton Fire Sues Southern California Edison, Alleging Preventable Failure

PASADENA, Calif., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Palms Care Center, a family-owned and operated skilled nursing facility that had served elderly and disabled residents in Pasadena and Altadena for more than 55 years, has filed suit against Southern California Edison Company and its parent, Edison International, alleging that the utility's faulty electrical infrastructure ignited the January 2025 Eaton Fire and destroyed the facility in its entirety. Zimmerman Reed LLP represents Two Palms in this matter.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that SCE failed to follow its own safety protocols on the night of January 7, 2025 — despite wind gusts at nearby weather stations that had exceeded the utility's own shutoff thresholds throughout the day, and despite the National Weather Service issuing its highest-level fire weather designation. At 6:11 p.m., electrical faults were detected on SCE transmission lines coinciding with flashes and sparks beneath SCE transmission towers in the Eaton Canyon, which ignited the Eaton Fire. Wind-driven flames reached the structures surrounding Two Palms within the hour. Before the fire, Two Palms often had a waiting list. Now the community it served has nothing.

When the fire reached the surrounding structures within an hour of ignition, Two Palms staff had almost no time. They moved 45 elderly and disabled residents — many bedridden, some with dementia — through smoke and ash on wheelchairs and rolling beds. Every resident was evacuated safely. Many were transferred to affiliated facilities in what everyone expected would be temporary placements. More than 15 months later, many remain there still. The full account of the evacuation was reported by the Los Angeles Times.

By dawn, the facility was gone. Every room, every therapy space, every piece of medical equipment — consumed entirely. Wheelchairs lay abandoned on the front lawn. The Two Palms sign still stood.

"Every one of our residents chose Two Palms, and their families trusted us with the people they love most. On the night of the fire, our staff honored that trust — they went back through smoke and flames to make sure no one was left behind. What we cannot accept is that a utility company's alleged failures made any of that necessary. Two Palms often had a waiting list before the fire. Families in this community were waiting for a place they trusted — and now that place is gone. Filing this lawsuit is a necessary step toward rebuilding it and restoring the care this community still needs."
— Juana Rodriguez, Administrator, Two Palms Care Center

According to the complaint, SCE's own investigation concluded that its equipment was "likely the cause" of the Eaton Fire. The utility has stated it is not aware of evidence pointing to any other source of ignition. That acknowledgment is central to Two Palms' claims.

The complaint also alleges that outdated and inactive equipment near the ignition site remained in place, and that safety systems designed to prevent re-energizing electrical lines during dangerous conditions were not properly enabled.

SCE had been warned. On January 5, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the region. The following day, it elevated that warning to a Particularly Dangerous Situation — the highest designation available — forecasting life-threatening, destructive windstorm conditions along the Highway 210 corridor, where Two Palms operated. The official cause of the Eaton Fire has not been formally released by Cal Fire; that investigation remains ongoing.

"This case is about whether the systems designed to prevent disasters like this were followed when it mattered most. Two Palms didn't just lose a building — the community lost a place that people depended on for care, stability, and dignity. This moment is about accountability."
— Caleb Marker, Partner, Zimmerman Reed LLP

Two Palms remains committed to rebuilding — but being made whole is not simply a matter of reconstructing what burned. Because the facility was built in 1959, it operated under regulatory exemptions that no longer apply to new construction.

"Any rebuilt facility must meet current building codes, accessibility mandates, and updated healthcare facility standards. That is not an obstacle to justice — it is what justice requires. Being fully restored means being able to serve this community again at the standard it deserves. SCE's alleged negligence is what stands between Two Palms and that outcome, and the costs of getting there are part of what this lawsuit seeks to recover."
— Caleb Marker, Partner, Zimmerman Reed LLP

The suit asserts seven causes of action: negligence and negligence per se, trespass by fire, inverse condemnation, public nuisance, private nuisance, violation of Health and Safety Code §13007, and a private right of action under California Public Utilities Code §2106. Two Palms seeks compensation for property loss, business interruption, lost revenue, evacuation and relocation costs, and ongoing economic harm, as well as injunctive relief requiring SCE to comply with applicable infrastructure safety regulations.

The Eaton Fire ignited on January 7, 2025, and became the second most destructive fire in California history. It claimed 19 lives and burned more than 14,000 acres, destroying approximately 10,000 structures across Pasadena and Altadena. Two Palms were one of two skilled nursing facilities destroyed in the fire. Many of the 45 residents evacuated that night were transferred to affiliated facilities in what were expected to be temporary placements. More than 15 months later, many remain there still.

About Zimmerman Reed LLP
Zimmerman Reed LLP is a national plaintiff-side law firm founded in 1983, with offices in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. For more than four decades, the firm has represented individuals and institutions in complex litigation, including mass tort, consumer protection, data breach, and wildfire matters. Zimmerman Reed is committed to holding corporations and institutions accountable when their conduct causes serious harm. We never forget who we're fighting for.

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SOURCE Zimmerman Reed