Nixa rental company recovers after fire

The shop rents large equipment such as skid steers and excavators and smaller pieces including carpentry tools and saws.

The June 25 fire was the result of a short circuit in either a wall outlet or an air compressor plugged into the outlet, said Gene Crawford, a rental representative with the company.

Customers and employees were safely evacuated, but the shop was a total loss.

Estimated damages were not available at press time, but the building was insured.

By June 27, the company had set up a temporary office trailer adjacent to the original building to resume business. About 70 percent of the shop’s stock has been replaced, and Crawford estimates Handyman is back at 85 percent to 90 percent efficiency.

“Our vendors have been so kind and have really helped us out,” he said. “Everything is recovered except for a couple of pieces of equipment.”

Handyman has torn down the original structure and is rebuilding its 2,400-square-foot shop in the same design as before. Construction is expected to be completed in two or three months.

The general contractor for the project is CPC Construction. Ben J. Goforth is the architect, and Vandersluis Engineering is the engineer.

Handyman, which opened in 2004, is owned by Rex Tayne, Dale Burton, Juan Villanueva and Ovidia Villanueva.