A fire has destroyed an abandoned farmhouse in Pickering that was the subject of a police investigation after a “confinement room” was discovered inside in November.

The fire reportedly started around 12 a.m. Friday at the 136-year-old farmhouse on Concession Road 7 at the York-Durham Line.

Durham Regional Police made an appeal for tips last month after contractors discovered a recently-built “confinement room” in the basement of the empty house that was slated for demolition. The workers alerted police who opened an investigation.

The first officers to arrive at the scene after the bizarre discovery was made in late November believed the room was built for the sole purpose of keeping someone captive.

Investigators appealed for tips from the public to determine if the room was built for a non-criminal purpose, such as a movie shoot.

Detectives are now investigating Friday’s fire.

There’s no word yet on a cause.