Civil rights attorneys, families weigh federal action over Eaton Fire response

WEST ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Civil rights attorneys and survivors of the deadly Eaton Fire said Thursday they are closely following the state's investigation into the emergency response and may pursue federal legal action once the findings are released.

Nineteen people were killed in the wildfire, with most of the deaths occurring on the Westside. Families and attorneys say they want answers about why evacuation alerts in West Altadena - a historically Black neighborhood - came hours later than those issued in East Altadena.

"The pain really is astronomical," said Trevor Kelley, who lost his mother in the fire.

Kimiko Nickerson, whose father Rodney Nickerson died in the blaze, is still living in pain.

"This event has stirred up memories of what happened last January when I lost my father," she said.

Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Carl Douglas said they are exploring potential federal action tied to the wildfire. Their announcement followed California Attorney General Rob Bonta's confirmation that the Department of Justice has opened a formal civil rights investigation into the emergency response.

"We're going to support Rob Bonta's investigation," Douglas said. He added, "We are looking at the possibility, based on the results of that investigation, of filing our own federal lawsuit against the county and the other responsible parties."

The families and the attorneys are demanding answers, asking why did East Altadena received evacuation orders within an hour of the fire's ignition while the Westside's alerts reportedly arrived several hours later - and in some cases up to eight hours later.

"The response to that is why we need the civil or criminal litigation to make sure that the discrimination that happens to us on Westside, we're not marginalized as we always are," said Zaire Calvin, who lost his sister in the fire.

State investigators are examining whether discrimination based on race, age, or disability played a role in the emergency response in West Altadena.

"We're looking at every possibility, based on the answers that we get that lead us to the truth of what really happened on January 7," Crump said.

The Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres, destroyed over 9,000 structures, and killed at least 19 people, making it one of the deadliest wildfires in California history. Officials reported that the average age of those who died was 77 years old.

"I believe we were left out and left behind," Nickerson said.