Fire crews from various agencies work to cut down a dead tree to prevent further damage after the Smokehouse Creek Fire, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Stinnett, Texas. The wildfire has become the largest in state history at over one million acres.last month filed a wrongful death lawsuit Wednesday against the utility companies who say their facilities may have played a role in igniting the blaze.
The lawsuit says Blankenship’s death is tied to the 687 Reamer fire that was lit Feb. 27, a few miles from Stinnett, when a “decayed, wooden power line pole splintered and snapped,” causing it to hit the ground and ignite the fire. Paul Blankenship has suffered mental anguish, pecuniary losses, exemplary damages and more because of the defendants’ actions, the lawsuit says.— which grew to be the largest fire in state history — and that it was cooperating with investigations. It only confirmed its facilities were connected to the one fire.
Roughly a dozen lawsuits have been filed in connection with the Panhandle wildfires, including separate lawsuits filed by the father and wife of 44-year-old Cindy Owen, the second person killed as a result of the fires.The first of the lawsuits was filed March 1 by a Hemphill County resident also alleging the the utility providers acted negligently.