Fire Investigators Respond to Fatal Blaze at 500 Bar & Grill

MILWAUKEE – On Sunday at approximately 4:30 a.m., the Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments responded to a call of an explosion and fire at the 500 Pub & Grill,

500 North 29th St., Milwaukee

. During fire suppression efforts, firefighters recovered the body of the owner of the business, Scott C. Benton, a former detective with the Milwaukee Police Department.

At the request of the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation – State Fire Marshal’s Office, an ATF certified fire investigator responded to the scene and conducted an origin and cause examination along with investigators from the Milwaukee Police and Fire departments and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Investigators recovered several items from the fire scene that require additional analysis.

Although the investigation is in its early stages, preliminary indicators reveal that this incident was not motivated by Benton’s former employment as a Milwaukee Police Officer.

The official fire origin and cause report will be released on a later date. The cause of death for Scott Benton is currently under investigation by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The estimated damages are $75,000.

More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.