I agree with the trip hazard but this is a health and safety issue rather than a fire safety issue. Why are the brigade getting involved?
Fire Authorities do deal with trip hazzards and obstructions on means of escape.
Are the mats really a problem? yeah ok you could argue they are a trip hazzard potentially and yes ok they shouldnt really be there technically speaking, but so long as they dont encroach onto the escape routes too much I wouldnt be bothered.
You'll probably find the fire officer asked for the mats to be removed due to the fact that if they were allowed to remain it sends out the message that items can be placed or stored in common areas /escape routes.
First you have matts appear in the common areas, and then before you know it other things start creeping in such as decorative plant pots and then bigger stuff and as sure as apples are apples the common areas will get bombarded with all sorts of things. Ive seen it happen myself hundreds of times.
So yeah it does seem a bit over the top to ask for the mats to be removed I agree, but I'd bet it was for the reasons stated above.