White Settlement Police investigate arson after Sergeant's heroic rescue at Red Roof Inn
Police investigate arson after Sergeant's heroic rescue
A White Settlement police sergeant is credited with saving lives by evacuating a burning Red Roof Inn before firefighters arrived, with police now seeking an arson suspect.
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas - A White Settlement Police sergeant's shift was about to end when he noticed smoke.
The smoke led him to a Red Roof Inn, where a police chief says one person is now wanted for arson.
Hotel fire
What we know:
When Sergeant John Banner of the White Settlement Police Department first saw the flames, he was filling up his car at the end of his shift. He discovered the fire was coming from a room at the Red Roof Inn and knew there was not a moment to lose.
While fire alarms were going off, Banner was the first to alert the fire department. With no breathing apparatus or specialized clothing to protect him from the flames, Banner knocked on every room.
"It's always good to be nosey."
What they're saying:
Officer Wesley Gregory was one of the first to arrive to assist Sergeant Banner. Gregory says their only focus was making sure no one was asleep or trapped.
Gregory recognized Sergeant Banner's training and instincts helped save lives.
"Great eye, great catch, goes to show you complacency is not a good thing. It's always good to be nosey," said Officer Gregory. "When he was able to distinguish it was not the restaurant, he was able to tell it was coming from the hotel, and he was able to notify us over the radio."
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Dig deeper:
Experts say fires can double in size every single minute, but White Settlement Police Chief Chris Cook says the team did an outstanding job ensuring people were able to get to safety in the early morning hours, well before the fire department arrived.
The Source: Information in this article was provided from an interview conducted with Officer Wesley Gregory. Additional information was provided by the White Settlement Police Department.