The fire marshal's office did not come to investigate the fire and the cause has been ruled an accident, Deputy Fire Chief Dave Speed said.

Whitby Fire Department was called out at 6 a.m. Sunday for a blaze at 280 Hopkins St,, just south of Dundas Street. The fire was in a brick weigh house, approximately 10 by 20 metres in size, at the entrance to the property.

According to Platoon Chief Peter Heron, the fire kept 18 firefighters with four trucks busy all day. By 7 p.m. it was all over and the building, which was deemed unsafe, had been destroyed.

Whitby Fire Prevention Officer Terry Von Zuben said the preliminary damage estimate was $300,000.

No one was injured in the fire.

In the wake of the incident, Whitby fire officials are asking owners of vacant buildings to make sure that they're secured against unauthorized access.