Southern California Edison utility faces wildfire compensation and transformer explosion in Claremont

A Southern California Edison high‑voltage transformer exploded on West Second Street in Claremont, California, at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. No injuries were reported. Los Angeles County Fire Department and Edison crews sealed the vault with water, de‑energized the unit and restored power overnight, reopening the street before 8 p.m.

Separately, the utility is offering up to $750 million in compensation to more than 12,000 claimants affected by the 2022 Eaton Fire, which burned roughly 14,000 acres, killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of structures. To date, $314 million has been paid through its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, with offers typically issued within about 35 days of a claim submission.