Fire set on purpose; training near UT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - It was a unique way to send an important message Monday near The University of Texas campus. Firefighters started a fire on purpose, all to bring home an idea that could save lives.

Fire can turn deadly quickly -- that's one message the Austin Fire Department is trying to send to students at UT. They brought out "MATT's House," which is short for Mobile Apartment Teaching Trailer.

Firefighters used it to start a fire on purpose to show just how quickly a room can go up in flames.

"It happens very, very fast," said Ausitn Fire Department Lt. Josh Portie, "especially with the fuels we have these days, all the plastics and things like that that put off the thick smoke, they put off the high heat."

But firefighters also had another message for the students: the importance of smoke alarms.

"It seems like it's the one common denominator with fire fatalities in the city is non-working smoke alarms," Portie said.

Firefighters want to make sure that everyone takes a simple step that could save a life by installing a working smoke detector.

"It's always ready, it's always working.  We're not always paying attention, but it is," Portie said.