US EditionLA Firefighter Says He Warned Brush Fire Wasn't Out Before Massive Blaze Ignited
Firefighter Scott Pike testified he warned of active hotspots days before the Palisades Fire reignited, a factor cited in lawsuits by thousands of victims alleging inadequate mop-up efforts.
- In a Jan. 30 deposition, Pike said he warned on Jan. 2, 2025, that the Lachman fire had hotspots, but was blown off before it reignited into the Palisades Fire on Jan. 7.
- While picking up hoses on Jan. 2, 2025, Pike said he saw about five smoking areas and at least one ash pit, told a captain to re-check, but was 'blown off'; firefighters were told 'They’ll have state park people looking at the area,' yet the visitor did not return after Jan. 1, 2025.
- Records and reports show gaps, with Pike noting 'There was like red-hot coals still smoldering. I even heard crackling,' and he said he was not interviewed for the department's after-action report.
- Mayor Karen Bass ordered an independent probe with Fire Chief Jaime Moore, while attorney Roger Behle called the deposition a "game-changer" as victims sue State of California and LADWP.
- The department's after-action review has drawn criticism for being watered-down and barely mentioning Lachman, federal authorities arrested Jonathan Rinderknecht in October, and depositions show split accounts among firefighters.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Bass: Palisades Fire testimony 'alarming'; independent probe pending
LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - Mayor Karen Bass said today newly released deposition testimony suggesting fire department officials were aware that a New Year's Day blaze near Pacific Palisades was still smoldering when crews pulled out of the area was ``alarming'' and would be examined in an independent investigation. The Lachman Fire, which authorities say was intentionally set early on New Year's Day 2025, was re-ignited by fierce Santa Ana winds on Ja…
Associated Press News
LA firefighter says he warned brush fire wasn't out before massive blaze ignited
A Los Angeles firefighter has testified that the ground was still smoldering from a brush fire days before a massive wildfire exploded last year in Pacific Palisades.
L.A. Firefighter: Fire that Sparked Palisades Inferno Was Not Extinguished, Captain Ignored Warning
A Los Angeles, California, firefighter testified in a lawsuit in January that fire crews were ordered to leave the Lachman fire, which later spread and caused the Palisades fire, before it was fully extinguished.
Daily Breeze
LAFD firefighter testifies he warned that Lachman fire was not fully out when crews were told to pack up
A Los Angeles firefighter in a sworn deposition said that he warned other firefighters and at least one captain about the need for more mop-up on the Lachman fire, but was blown off, days before it reignited and turned into the deadly Palisades fire. Firefighter Scott Pike made the remarks during testimony last month in a lawsuit filed by victims of the Palisades fire against the city and state. Pike said he was working an overtime shift on Jan.…
L.A. firefighter tesitified that his concerns about fire that preceded Palisades Fire were ignored
A firefighter tasked with fighting the fire that preceded the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles last year claimed in a sworn deposition that he expressed concern that it could reignite, but was brushed off by the fire captain.
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