By Shereen Siewert
Police in Door County have identified the man arrested in connection with a fatal Sturgeon Bay fire as 57-year-old Anthony Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, of Sturgeon Bay, faces two counts of second-degree reckless homicide and seven counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety in connection with a fire Tuesday at Butch’s Bar. Two people died in the blaze, while a third person was sent to a Milwaukee burn center for treatment. The building, which included several residential units along with the bar, is being described as a total loss.
Police say Gonzalez was a resident of the building. WLUK reports the blaze started after Gonzalez “spilled butane on his bed while trying to fill a lighter, then lit a cigarette and was unable to put the fire out.”
Two bodies were removed from the scene Thursday after it was deemed safe to do so. They were taken to Madison to be identified by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office and the names will not be released until family members are notified.
