Probe of Hillside Fire Focuses on Power Lines
Witnesses have told investigators that they saw sparks falling from power lines on a hillside in Sylmar before a fire erupted Monday that burned 750 acres of brush and damaged several ranch buildings.
But utility companies disputed that view Tuesday, saying that their equipment did not malfunction until after the fire started.
Los Angeles fire officials said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but electrical arcing from a power line or transmission tower emerged as a focal point of the probe. The fire was completely contained by 10 p.m. Monday, nearly 22 hours after its start, but firefighters stayed in the burn area throughout the night and Tuesday to watch for flare-ups.
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