CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Chapel Hill firefighters put sprinklers to the test to show they can save lives.

During a demonstration, they set a dorm room on fire to help raise awareness about fire safety and the importance of sprinklers in student housing. One of the room's sides had sprinklers, and the other didn't.

"About a minute and a half, that fire was under control by the water coming down from the sprinkler system," said State Fire Marshal Mike Causey. "Seconds matter in a fire, minutes especially."

The firefighters came up with the exercise after dorm room fires turned fatal years prior, particularly in 1996 when a fire at a UNC Chapel Hill fraternity house killed five students.

"As a result of that fire, we were able to get student housing legislation passed in Chapel Hill for sprinklers in student housing," said retired Chapel Hill Fire Chief Dan Jones. "And that legislation has been copied across the country in a lot of places."

Greek Life buildings are also a part of the legislation.