California utility PG&E admitted to criminal negligence on Tuesday, pleading guilty to 84 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter for its role in starting the 2018 Camp Fire.
The big picture: The plea "reflects the bankrupt utility taking responsibility for the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history," Bloomberg Law writes. The fire, ignited by PG&E equipment, killed 84 people. The company is also pleading guilty to a count of unlawfully causing a fire.
Background: PG&E already agreed to pay more than $25 billion to settle claims from victims, insurers and local governments, per Bloomberg, and was fined $1.9 billion by the California Public Utilities Commission.
What to watch: People who lost family and property in the fire are expected to testify to the county beginning Wednesday. The judge will then impose a sentence on the utility.
