Man starts fire trying to scare squirrels

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RICHTON PARK, Ill., March 17 (UPI) -- An Illinois man says he accidentally set his home on fire when he tried using a smoke bomb to get rid of squirrels inside a wall.

Robert Hughes of Richton Park said he lit a smoke bomb in the gutter near the hole the squirrels were using to enter the home and a blaze quickly broke out, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.

Richton Park Deputy Fire Chief Rodney Wilson said firefighters who arrived at the home about 10 a.m. had to damage the roof and drywall of the town home and an adjacent residence to extinguish the flames.

Hughes said his home sustained fire damage and has been boarded up. The neighbor's town home, which was damaged by firefighters, has also been boarded up.

No one was injured in the blaze. Hughes said he believes the squirrels have vacated the residence.