Holiday Farm Fire Lawsuit Seeks Over $100 Million From Lane Electric And EWEB
May 14, 2021 5:17PM PDT
Blue River, Ore. – September 15, 2020 – The Holiday Farm Fire destroyed businesses, homes, and vehicles in Blue River, Ore. – David Yost / FEMA
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A lawsuit filed on behalf of 70 landowners in Oregon’s McKenzie River Valley seeks $103 million from Lane Electric Cooperative and Eugene Water and Electric Board for damages linked to one of the Labor Day fires that ravaged communities around the state.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the Holiday Farm Fire killed one person and destroyed 430 homes.
The plaintiffs say the two utilities failed to de-energize their power lines despite forecasts for extreme fire weather.
Eugene Water & Electric Board spokesman Joe Harwood said the lawsuit “contains claims that are based upon a significant factual error.”
Lane Electric Cooperative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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