The business at 941 S. Carpenter Ave. in Kingsford reopened Nov. 22, after being hobbled since owner Tony Erickson received a call from the fire department at 5:30 a.m. Oct. 4.

Workers on break at neighboring Grede Foundries reported smoke coming from the building.

“The guys from Grede are heroes in my book,” Erickson said. “I put a picnic table outside a couple of years ago, so the guys at Grede could have a place to sit and smoke. They were out there having their morning cigarette at 5:30 a.m. and they saw the smoke coming out of my eaves. They called the fire department for me and saved my shop from becoming a total loss.”

The electrical fire started in the back corner of the building and destroyed the roof, ceiling, insulation, hoists and welder in the shop.

THE LOOK OF the interior of Scotty’s Muffler in Kingsford just after the fire in early October. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

Erickson had three jobs booked the day of the fire. “I had no electricity, no heat, no air compressor, nothing — the whole shop was shut down. Outside in the parking lot, I did two sets of rear brakes and a rear spring shackle on the ground, because I have customers and customers come first,” he said.

The old building had seven electrical boxes, as each new owner over the past century just added a new box, Erickson said, adding, “I had wiring everywhere.”

The building now has a single electrical box, put in by Brooks Electric in less than a week along with temporary lighting, then later high-efficiency LED lighting. The hoists were replaced with top-of-the-line Mohawk lifts.

Carey Disaster Restoration did the cleanup and removal of all the insulation, he said. Carey Contracting put in the new ceiling and Markell Roofing a new roof.

“The contractors that I hired bent over backward to get me back up and running. I was down 49 days, that is it,” he said, adding, “Danielson Insurance has been a joy to work with. they have been very accommodating and we’ve had great communications.”

THE LOOK OF the renovated interior of Scotty’s Muffler in Kingsford. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

He added, “And I have Auto-Owners (insurance) — they have been wonderful; they understand.”