The Patten Towers fire that occurred on May 28 was electrical in origin. Since that date, the electricians who have been working to repair the wiring and bring the building up to code have been members of the IBEW Local 175.
Repairs, which, among other work, involved the replacement of an electrical switch gear, were projected to take up to two months to complete. But, said Ken Miller, president of Miller Electric Co., the contractor working on Patten Towers, “The IBEW has bent over backwards to mobilize experienced, motivated electricians who have moved this job forward rapidly and professionally. Not only are they doing an excellent job, but it’s clear they care about getting the residents back into their homes as quickly as possible, and making sure they are safe when they return.”
“The management of Patten Towers made a wise decision to employ highly trained, expert electricians to undertake the repairs,” said Barry Key, business manager for the IBEW Local 175. “Obviously it is of the utmost importance that the electrical systems be repaired and replaced correctly, so that Patten Towers is up to code, and residents can return to a safe building. The members of the IBEW are certainly the most qualified to ensure that this work is properly done.”
IBEW Local 175 represents more than 3,000 professional electrical workers in Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.