Los Angeles County said Wednesday that it's suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked January’s Eaton Fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 people in the Altadena area.

The county says electrical equipment owned by the electric utility is to blame for the blaze that killed 17 people and destroyed 9,400 buildings.

The lawsuits allege that SCE's equipment caused the fire that destroyed swaths of Altadena, prompting massive emergency response and ongoing cleanup costs.