Smoke in the Woods’

Press, 7 April 1978, Page 16

Smoke in the Woods’

A schoolboy had to confront his father with devastating news — he had blown up their house while playing with a toy steam engine. Ricky Wood, aged 14, found the model in a rubbish dump. He took it home and tried to get it working, but filled it with petrol instead of methylated spirit, NZPA reports from London. It exploded, and caused a fire. “Sorry dad, I’ve blown up the house,” he told his father, an unemployed labourer, Ernest Wood, when he came home to find the family’s council house in Harrietsham, Kent, wrecked. The boys mother and two sisters, aged 12 and 10, had to jump three three metres from a bedroom window to escape the flames. The family is staying with relatives. Mrs Daphne Wood said: “It was a nightmare at the time, but I suppose boys will be boys.” Mr Wood added: “I cried at first, but I suppose this will teach Ricky a costly lesson.” And Ricky? “It’s the last time I will play with engines,” he said. I will stick to my bike in future.”