Xcel Energy pole at center of Texas fire suit marked unsafe, Bloomberg says

The Xcel Energy utility pole was inspected and labeled with a “do not climb” symbol prior to the start of the worst wildfire in Texas history, Bloomberg’s Mark Chediak and Josh Saul report, citing photos. The pictures, which were shared by a landowner whose ranch burned in the wildfire, display a downed pole, wrapped in evidence tape, fitted with a silver inspection tag and a red metal caution tag, the authors note. The law firm that sent a letter to the company last week asking it to preserve the pole said the tags mean it had been flagged as requiring attention during an inspection earlier in 2024, the authors say.