Fire strikes mill second time in two years

    BRIDGEWATER, Maine – The cause of a fire Jan. 23 at J and J Cedar Mill on Bootfoot Road will probably never be known.
“The official report classifies the cause of the fire as undetermined. We were unable to determine the exact origin and cause due to the extent of damage,” said Tim Lowell, an investigator with the Fire Marshall’s Office.
    The fire was reported around 2 a.m. Tuesday. By the time firefighters from Bridgewater arrived on the scene, the mill was totally involved.
The property, owned by Jake and Jerry Tessier, was deemed a total loss.
“They had moved several pieces of equipment inside due to the cold temperatures. The owners were unable to salvage anything from the burning structure,” said Lowell.
The property was not insured.
This is the second fire at the mill in less than two years. The owners were able to rebuild after the first fire. No word was available whether they planned to rebuild this time.
“The mill burned about a year and a half ago. That fire was caused from cutting and welding that was being done at the facility,” said Lowell.
Firefighters from Monticello and Mars Hill assisted and were on scene for nearly eight hours bringing the blaze under control.
No injuries were reported.