LONDON: A 14th century castle in Slovakia was gutted in fire which was sparked by two children trying their first cigarette.
According to the police, two boys set fire to some dry grass at the foot of the imposing Krasna Horka castle in Slovakia after sneaking into the castle grounds to smoke a cigarette, the Daily Mail reported.
Over 80 firefighters were pressed into service to control the ensuing inferno which tore through the ancient hill-top building within minutes.
"A unit sent to the site found that two local boys aged 11 and 12 were trying to light up a cigarette and because of careless use of safety matches, they set grass at the castle hill on fire," said police spokesperson Jana Mesarova.
Children under the age of 15 cannot be prosecuted in Slovakia.
The Slovak National Museum wrote on its Facebook page that damage to the castle was extensive but about 90 percent of historical collections were saved.