Stein

Southern California Edison Company (hereinafter Edison) appeals from a judgment after jury trial imposing damages of $390,290.72 in favor of Richard Stein, Ellen Stein, and California Fair Plan Association (hereinafter the Steins) and prejudgment interest of $43,645.24 awarded by the trial court. Edison contends that the trial court should not have allowed the jury to decide the issue of strict liability and should not have awarded prejudgment interest. The Steins cross-appeal from the court’s order awarding prejudgment interest.

The Steins claim they were entitled to prejudgment interest from a date earlier from the date Edison received notice of the damages. We affirm the judgment and order after judgment.

Facts

On September 28, 1988, the Steins’ house at 2252 Las Canoas Road in the Mission Canyon area of Santa Barbara, was heavily damaged by fire. One of Edison’s crews, who were in the area due to a power outage, initially reported the fire. The fire department investigator found that the flames concentrated in the electric service meter area and that the fire originated at the meter panel. He opined that the fire was of electrical origin and was caused by an…