Date: April 7, 2024
Case: 24-11762 – Business Fire
Authority: Sgt. Chad Beres

Today at approximately 9:17am the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a passerby on Hy 45 reporting smoke coming from the building at 7875 Hy 45 (Dean Derge Ornamental Ironwork) in the Town of Barton. The West Bend Fire Department was paged and the call was upgraded to a MABAS call. Fire Departments from Kewaskum, Jackson, Slinger, Allenton, Newburg, Boltonville, Kohlsville, Fillmore and St. Lawrence were paged to assist.

The first responding Deputy arrived approximately 3-minutes later confirming smoke was coming out the rear of the building. The Deputy reported the business was locked and the gate across the entry was closed. Contact was made with the business owner who provided the gate code and responded to the scene.

The right lane of Hy 45 southbound was closed to stage Fire Department vehicles, but the left lane remained open. The fire was fully extinguished by approximately 10:13am. The business suffered some damage, but it was not occupied at the time of the fire. The West Bend Fire Department has requested the assistance of a Fire Investigator from the Sheriff’s Office and this is an active investigation. There is no additional information available at this time.