May 12, 2020 – West Bend, WI – Fire departments from West Bend, Kewaskum, Slinger, Allenton, Newburg, Fillmore and Jackson responded to an early morning fire Tuesday, May 12, 2020 in the south industrial park in West Bend.
The fire call came in just before 4 a.m. at 170 W. Progress Drive. It occurred at US Biologics, a company that manufactures biological cosmetics. The company has operated the last 17 years out of a two-story pole building on the north side of Progress Drive.
Company President Greg Shuppe was on scene Tuesday morning. “I don’t exactly know what happened but I have an idea it was equipment malfunction,” he said.
Shuppe said the damage appeared to be mostly smoke damage. “We have a fermentation suite and that’s all stainless steel,” he said.
One employee was in the building at the time the fire broke out. Shuppe said the employee was “in her office but got out of the building quickly.”
Investigators from the West Bend Fire Department were conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire at 7 a.m. Tuesday. There was little visible damage however a heavy chemical smell hung in the air.
Below are photos from the interior of USBL on the company’s social media page.
This is a working story and more details will be posted when information becomes available.
We were woken by 2 very loud bang sounds. Instantly after the first sound the sirens from the fire department or Police cars were sounding.