FRYEBURG — As investigators continue their work to determine the cause of the fire at Saunders Mill in late December, owner Louise Jonaitis said she is working to use the remaining five buildings to open another Moosehead Furniture factory this year.

Jonaitis seeks to employ up to 15 workers at the buildings remaining at the site. She bought Moosehead Furniture Co. in Monson for just over $1 million in 2010.

The fire destroyed the main manufacturing plant at the vacant former Saunders Mill on Fair Street.

Jonaitis bought the Fryeburg mill at an auction for $200,000 after it had closed in 2008. It had been on the market for $310,000 before the fire.

She also said she is still trying to resolve an outstanding tax issue with Fryeburg officials that she said was caused by a miscalculation by assessors who taxed the property as an operating business and not a warehouse.

“I’m asking for an abatement,” she said. “I’m waiting to move forward.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Stephen McCausland, Maine State Police spokesman said Thursday.

About 70 firefighters from nine towns were called to fight the flames.

Investigators have not released a cause but senior investigator Richard Shepard told the Sun Journal several days after the fire that he feels “pretty comfortable” they know what happened. Shepard said he needed more time to confer with other investigators at the scene before releasing the results.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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