The cause of the fire that destroyed the Midnight Sun Coffee Roaster and The Nest furniture outlet on Nov. 9 is likely to remain a mystery, says Whitehorse fire chief Clive Sparks.

Sparks said recently that investigators were able to dig through to the area where the blaze most likely started.

However, they were unable to find any conclusive evidence pinpointing the source of ignition at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Alexander Street.

There are only two findings in fire investigations, said Sparks: It's either declaring the source, or stamping the file 'undetermined'.

'It started in The Nest end of the building,' Sparks said. 'There was fire in the basement when the crew first got there, but whether it started upstairs and burned through the floor, we don't know.

'That's likely the way it will be listed.'

The estimated loss is $630,000, including the building and its contents, Sparks said.

Efforts to battle the blaze by penetrating the walls from the outside were hindered by the structure's aluminum exterior.

The age of the building, which dated back to the early 1940s, its renovations through the years and its two layers of walls enabled the fire to hide and intensify, the chief explained at the time.

Both businesses renting space in the building had fire insurance, as did the owner of the building, local businessman Con Lattin.

Lattin said this afternoon he remains unsure about whether he'll rebuild. He would like to do so, he said, but the final decision will depend on economics.