Warehouse fire doesn’t douse spirit of Red’s Electric owner Jim Ferris

Jim Ferris, owner of Red’s Electric, was attending a dinner function following a meeting of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) when a cell phone rang.

Dick Keil, an owner of West Side Electric, took the call. “What! Red’s building is on fire!”

Ferris’ cell phone rang. It was his office manager confirming the news.

Ferris called his Internet technician. The message was quick. “Don, it’s ‘come to Jesus’ time,”

Red’s Electric at SE 20th Ave. and Clinton St. in Portland was ablaze. The warehouse was burning hot and fast. Plastic coatings on wire coils and other electrical supplies inside had created dense smoke, making it difficult for firefighters to work.

Firefighters made a concentrated effort to contain the fire to the warehouse. Critical data on computers and in file cabinets in the office portion of the 3,300-square-foot building were wrapped in plastic to reduce smoke and water damage.

The fire was called in at 6 p.m. June 11. Forty-five minutes later the warehouse was a complete loss.

But what normally would be an extremely devastating time turned into a life-altering experience for the small business owner. That’s because no sooner had Ferris arrived on scene when some of his employees — members of IBEW Local 48 — and other NECA contractors, suppliers, vendors and friends began to show up. In a matter of hours there were over 40 people who offered help, ranging from interim warehouse space to IT support and credit line extensions.

In less than 24 hours, a temporary office was up and running in a vacant rental home Ferris owned next door.

“People came out of the woodwork. I felt like George Bailey (from It’s a Wonderful Life),” Ferris told the NW Labor Press two weeks later, where he and two of his employees were volunteering a Sunday to wire a house for Habitat for Humanity.

Ferris has been helping wire homes for the non-profit Habitat for the past eight years. For more than 12 years Red’s Electric has been part of Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April). Ferris has served on the board of directors of that organization for years.

Associates from NECA and Local 48 say that Ferris is always one of the first to volunteer or donate to a good cause. “He’s a true inspiration. He deserved every bit of the assistance he received,” said George Adams, president of EC Company.

Amazingly, Red’s Electric made all of its scheduled appointments. And, because new phone lines were installed so quickly, the company was taking calls for new work orders the next day.

“Is that normal?” Ferris asked. “It was an overwhelming experience the way people came out of the woodwork. It makes you want to cry.”

Red’s is primarily a residential service electrical contractor that employs 28 union electricians and 10 office staff. Ferris himself is a member of IBEW Local 48. He started as an apprentice at Red’s in 1977, turned journeyman at Red’s in 1983, and became part-owner of Red’s in 1987. He bought out his partner five years ago.

“We’re a niche company that has amazing employees who do quality work,” Ferris said. “Without them this would have been horrible.”

No one was in the building at the time of the fire, so no one was injured.

Investigators listed the cause as “undetermined.” The fire apparently started in the back of the warehouse. Earlier in the day soil-testers had been drilling holes in the yard. The building was about to be sold and Ferris was planning to move to a new location on SE 107th and Foster in about six months.

“Someone was going to buy it before it burned down. I’m not sure if that will still happen,” he said.

Ferris said damage to the insured building and contents was about $700,000.