I was reading an article on Listverse.com about something similar. I guess that the firefighters put on a show while training, and it was a huge deal every year. The townspeople and firefighters would build a house, then set it on fire. then as their training they'd put it out. Apparently there were people inside the house when it got set ablaze! The unfortunately died, but the townspeople thought it was an elaborate joke, and they were cheering.