Survivors of the Marshall Fire are waiting to see their offer of the $640 million settlement from Xcel Energy announced on Wednesday.
Jenn Hart in Louisville is one of the more than 4,000 plaintiffs in the suit. She says her home was torn down to the studs after smoke damaged her home.
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Now, family photos are some of the few remaining pieces of Hart’s former home. Reflecting on those that were saved when they evacuated, and those that were left behind, she described an engagement photo, “It was sitting in this corner on a cabinet, and it wasn’t blue before the fire,” she said.
Now, more than three years after the fire, she’s settling back into her home and seeing a payout from Xcel.
“It’s bittersweet, right? So it’s not what we were hoping for, but it’s behind us,” Hart said.
While the settlement is bringing closure for some survivors like Hart, others have shared disappointment that it means survivors won’t see their day in court.
“After the lawyers are paid and the insurance company takes their cut of reimbursement, as they call it, then I don’t think there’ll be anything left for us, as the homeowners,” Hart said.
Towns and cities impacted by the Marshall Fire are also waiting for their piece of the settlement, including the town of Superior.
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“We’re about three-quarters of the way through, we’re 75%-80% rebuilt,” Superior’s Mayor Mark Lacis said.
As the city continues to repair, Lacis says he’s still waiting to see what their exact payment figure may look like.
“A lot of the roads were damaged. A lot of the utility lines were damaged. Our water treatment plant was damaged. We had buildings that were destroyed,” Lacis explained.
Like many, Lacis says he’s found closure in the settlement, and hopes action will come with it.
“I hope Xcel takes the appropriate accountability and puts the measures in place, from a technological perspective, to ensure that another Marshall Fire never occurs again from their equipment,” Lacis said.
However, this settlement does not mean Xcel is taking any liability. Xcel declined to interview on Wednesday but sent statements, including from the chairman, president, and CEO of Xcel Energy, Bob Frenzel, “Despite our conviction that PSCo equipment did not cause the Marshall Fire or plaintiffs’ damages, we have always been open to a resolution that properly accounts for the strong defenses we have to these claims. In resolving all liability from the claims, this settlement reinforces our longstanding commitment to supporting the communities we serve.”
As more survivors settle back into their neighborhoods, Hart says she’s still hopeful this settlement means a traumatic chapter may be coming to a close.
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“We’ve come this far together. We’ll continue to move forward together. We’re 80027 strong,” Hart said.
