“Rodney Nickerson was more than just a victim of the Eaton Canyon Fire — he was a pillar of his community and a link to a historic legacy,” Douglas said. “His death was avoidable, and Southern California Edison must answer for its role in this tragedy. We’re here to make sure they do.”

The suit, like others that have been filed, alleges Edison recklessly operated its equipment, failed to maintain the brush around its power lines and failed to de-energize all of its lines in the Eaton Canyon area despite warnings of impending high winds from the National Weather Service.

“They were aware of the risk the towers would have when those violent winds were approaching,” Douglas said.

The lawsuit cites eyewitness accounts, videos and photographs that show flames were emanating at the base of a power transmission tower. Edison’s equipment has triggered other fires, including the Woolsey fire, which destroyed more than 1,600 structures and killed three people in 2018 in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

“Unfortunately, rather than reform its practices, Edison once again elected to put profits over public safety, transmitting high voltage electric power through exposed, uninsulated conductors in known high fire risk areas during forecasted high wind conditions,” the suit said.

A Southern California Edison official did not return an emailed request for comment.

Nickerson was the grandson of William Nickerson Jr., the founder of Nickerson Gardens and Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Co. Nickerson Gardens is the largest public housing development in Los Angeles, with 1,066 units.

An engineer by trade, Rodney Nickerson also was a deacon and chairman of the Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

His grandson, Chase Newton, wrote on a GoFundMe page that Rodney Nickerson graduated from high school in Los Angeles and served honorably for four years in the U.S. Navy. He then went on to spend 45 years working as a project engineer at Lockheed Martin.

“Our family’s roots run deep, but this fire has taken everything, including a piece of our heart and history,” Newton added.

As the fire approached his neighborhood, Rodney Nickerson resisted his family’s pleas to evacuate his home of more than five decades.

“Despite the dangerous conditions, my grandfather insisted on staying in his home, a place that was deeply meaningful to our family,” Newton wrote. “His last words to my mother were, ‘I’ll be here tomorrow,’ but he never made it out.”

His family found him amid the charred rubble, in his bed, according to a news release from Douglas.

Besides the property loss and loss of her father, Kimiko Nickerson has become so distressed that she has sought psychological counseling, the suit said.

“It’s important, we believe, although property is valuable, the loss of life is paramount,” Douglas said. “We want to make sure we preserve the memory of Rodney Kent Nickerson.”

Staff writer Jason Henry contributed to this report.