Anthony Maglis, of Timaru-based Fire and Safety Training Ltd, demonstrates at Telford yesterday what happens when water is poured on boiling oil.
Staff from Telford, a division of Lincoln University, spent several hours learning about fires, how they work, and how to extinguish different types of blazes.
Telford workplace health and safety representative Kris Nicol said the training followed an incident in March where students and staff rescued a mother and her two young children from a kitchen fire in a Telford farmhouse.
A 111 call was made, but Telford staff and students extinguished the blaze and the Fire Service did not attend the incident.
Mr Nicol said Telford's biggest concern was the welfare of people - students, staff, farmers and families.
"Everywhere there are students, there is now a trained staff member in the event of a fire."
Staff took part in a combination of theory and practical lessons.
