Fire safety house causes fire

A portable house used to teach children how to escape from a burning home clipped a power line while it was being towed in Magnolia, causing a nearby house to catch fire. No people were hurt but a Chihuahua died in the blaze. The unlikely series of events started Tuesday morning when the Magnolia Fire Department towed the Arkansas Children`s Hospital "smokehouse" to an elementary school. Firefighters had taken the route with the house in tow before. But since the last visit, new utility poles were installed and the smokehouse caught a low electrical line, pulling it away from the home of Cassie Farrar. Farrar`s home caught fire, and her Chihuahua, "Nubin," died from smoke inhalation. Also, a live line came to rest on top of the Magnolia Fire Department pumper truck that was following the smokehouse to East Side Elementary. and the truck couldn`t help put out the fire. Other firefighters got crossed up on their directions and were late responding to the home, officials said. Fire Chief Herschel Hampton says the home was extensively damaged. The Arkansas Children`s Hospital smokehouse travels the state to help children learn about fire safety. Non-toxic smoke is pumped into the house to simulate a fire while children learn to stay low and find the exit. The safety house itself was undamaged.