Legal action against power firm over 2009 Australia bushfires
Legal action against power firm over 2009 Australia bushfires
19 June 2010
published by australianetworknews.com
Australia — More than 600 victims of the Black Saturday bushfires in February 2009 have launched a legal action against a power company over its alleged role in the fires.
It’s alleged that a fire in Kilmore East started when a 43 year old powerline owned by SP Ausnet broke.
The fire killed 119 people and destroyed over 1,200 homes.
In a document lodge with the Supreme court in the state of Victoria, lawyers allege the company failed to fit a safety device and did not properly monitor or maintain the ageing line, which was known to be in a high risk bushfire area.
The legal action follows suggestions in a Royal Commission last November that SP Ausnet could have taken steps to prevent fire from starting.
It is the second class action to be launched over a Black Saturday bushfire.
The first sued the power company Powercor over a fire at Horsham that destroyed 12 homes.
