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The possibility that an idle, unconnected Southern California Edison transmission line somehow reengerized on Jan. 7 is “a leading hypothesis” for what started the destructive Eaton fire, Edison International Chief Executive Pedro Pizarro said Friday.

But Edison has been under scrutiny since Day 1 because residents saw and videotaped flames burning near transmission lines at the time the fire started on Jan. 7.

More than eight million households across Chile were left without power on Tuesday afternoon after an electricity transmission line failed, cutting off the electricity supply to much of the country.

A spark from a malfunctioning transmission line ignited a blaze.

Public records uncovered by The Times indicate the company had been warned less than three years ago about the risk that a power shutdown would overload other transmission lines, potentially causing dangerous overheating and sparks.