Two children in Slovakia have been suspected of burning down a gothic castle in eastern Slovakia. The reason for the fire was that the two children were experimenting with smoking. Jana Mesarova, a spokeswoman for the police, said that the children were being investigated in relation to the fire. The reason for this was that they set grass down at the foot of the Krasna Horka castle, which caught fire when they tried to light cigarettes. In Slovakia, those under the age of 15 are not permitted to be prosecuted.
“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,” Mesarova said.
Once the fire was reported, 84 firefighters were dispatched to the castle in hopes of saving it before it was too late. Close to 90 percent of historical items were saved, according to the Slovak National Museum. Items saved include photos of furnished castle premises from the turn of the 19 and 20th centuries and oil paintings.
“The castle’s roof burned down completely, as well as the new exhibition in the gothic palace and the bell tower. Three bells melted,” the museum said.