Rodela v. Southern California Edison Co.

Personal injury action. Jury waived. Judgment for defendant. Plaintiff appeals, claiming primarily that she is entitled to the benefit of res ipsa loquitur and as a matter of law the evidence is insufficient to offset it.

Plaintiff was working for Academy Candle Company, which uses as a part of its equipment in making candles a boiler fired by 48 gas burners and producing heat of 400 to 600 degrees at the exit of the vent pipe. Normally this pipe extended in a vertical position on the west side of the building. It was only 18 inches from a power line pole of defendant Edison Company. On May…