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The sister of a man who died three years ago in a central Utah wildfire is suing Rocky Mountain Power, claiming its high-voltage lines caused the fire.
Patricia Martin filed the federal lawsuit against the power company after her brother James Martin died in the 2012 Wood Hollow Fire. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 6th District Court in Sanpete County, was re-filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of Utah.
"She's his only heir. It was just Patricia and Jim, they were the only two family members each other had," said attorney Jonathan Schofield. "Their parents had passed. They had no other siblings. No children. They've [just] had each other, so Jim' passing was a huge loss to his sister."
The fire ignited June 23, 2012, because of an arc of electricity between two of Rocky Mountain Power's transmission lines, according to the lawsuit. The arc occurred because there was inadequate clearance between the lines, in violation of industry regulation and the power company's own safety standards, the lawsuit adds.
Rocky Mountain Power allegedly knew about the violation for several years prior to the fire.
The wildfire ultimately scorched more than 47,000 acres, "destroying everything in its path," including 52 homes and 108 outbuildings in Sanpete County. Martin died during the third day of the fire, when flames overtook him in his car near Indianola, a village in northern Sanpete County. He was 60 years old.
A search-and-rescue team found his body while sweeping the charred path of the fire.
At the time of the fire, Rocky Mountain Power believed the cause was human in origin. Among possible causes, according to Rocky Mountain Power officials, was the theft of copper grounding wire that may have caused power pole to short-circuit and spark the fire.
But a state fire marshal later determined that the transmission lines were to blame, Schofield said.
"That was also verified by our experts," he added.
Patricia Martin does not specify in her lawsuit how much money she is seeking from the power company. A jury will determine that, Schofield said.
Schofield's firm, Parr Brown Gee & Loveless, represents hundreds of other victims of the Wood Hollow Fire, who are suing Rocky Mountain Power in connection with property loss. Some of those cases have settled, but most are still pending, Schofield said.
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