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Crews start Butch's Bar rubble clean up

After more than eight weeks after a fire destroyed Butch’s Bar in downtown Sturgeon Bay, the remaining rubble is now being hauled away from the site.  Crews from B.E.S.T. Contractors in De Pere started the removal process on Friday morning. The cleanup was delayed because of an arson investigation and a little-known state statute requiring next of kin of the victims who perished in the fire, to be notified and have a chance to visit the site.   Owner of Butch’s Bar Clarence Cumber told DoorCountyDailyNews.com Friday that the total cost of removing the rubble will be over $100,000.  He says no plans are in place yet to rebuild.

 

Two people died in the fire, in which Anthony Gonzales was charged with felonies of two counts of second-degree reckless homicide and five counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.  He faces up to 135 years in prison on all charges.  The criminal complaint states that Gonzales, a tenant staying at Butch’s Bar, told officers that he “spilled lighter fluid on my bed” while lighting a cigarette with a Zippo lighter.   

 

Sturgeon Bay Fire Chief Tim Dietman issued the following news release on Friday afternoon asking people to stay away from the area while removal is being done.

Butchs Bar clean-up has begun today. The contractors will be on-site and expect to have the site cleaned up within 2 weeks. They are asking that the public not stop and watch as the site is small and they will need the room to complete everything. The contractors are experienced with this type of clean-up and have the community in mind as they are working. The materials being removed are commingled with asbestos and they are handling the site as required by the WI DNR. Again, please refrain from hanging around the site while work is being done giving them room to work and preventing any potential spread of materials.

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