The family of a Texas woman has filed the latest lawsuit over the million-acre Smokehouse Creek Fire that blazed for nearly three weeks beginning in late February.
Reports say Joyce Blankenship died at the age of 83 when the fire engulfed her home in the town of Stinnett, about 60 miles northeast of Amarillo.
The preliminary investigation suggests a power pole toppled over and the wildfire was ignited by downed power lines operated by Minnesota-based Xcel Energy.
In the lawsuit filed yesterday, Blankenship's son named Xcel and Xcel subsidiary Southwestern Public Service along with Osmose Utilities which was responsible for inspecting Xcel's wooden power poles.
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