WATCH: North Texas police sergeant evacuates Red Roof Inn after spotting fire

A North Texas police officer evacuated guests from a Red Roof Inn after he noticed a fire on the second story of the motel in White Settlement on Monday morning, authorities said.

Sgt. John Banner was on patrol about 5:30 a.m. when he saw smoke coming from the hotel at 8500 West Freeway. While investigating, he saw that a fire had fully engulfed rooms 217 and 219, according to police.

Banner notified the fire department and began banging on the doors and windows of the rooms, yelling for people to get out, body-camera footage shows.

The video shows a fire alarm blaring, people running from their rooms and a person shouting “fire” in the background.

One man staying in room 218, the room directly behind the rooms engulfed in flames, wasn’t aware of the danger, according to White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook. He said he had smelled smoke when he turned on his air conditioner, the bodycam footage shows.

The fire alarm could not be heard in the footage while Sgt. Banner was at the rear of the building.

“From a chief’s perspective, the team did an outstanding job ensuring people were able to get to safety in the early morning hours while many were asleep,” Cook wrote.

No injuries occurred, Cook said. Some were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, including Banner.

White Settlement firefighters arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze, Cook said.

Motel fire investigated as arson

White Settlement police are investigating the fire as arson, Cook said. Police have detained one suspect, who Cook said was standing by the building when Banner arrived.

Banner spoke to the suspect and found that his story was inconsistent with surveillance video, Cook said.

The Fire Marshal’s Office is working on obtaining a warrant for the suspect’s arrest, Cook said. The suspect’s name has not been released.

Banner previously honored for saving life

In 2016, Banner was among four officers and one dispatcher who were commended at a White Settlement City Council meeting for their work in saving a woman’s life, according to the Weatherford Democrat.

Banner received a commendation for searching for and immediately administering first-aid to a woman who had been attacked and stabbed on Nov. 20, 2016, the Weatherford Democrat reported.

The woman only screamed while on the phone with 911, police said. Officers found the phone and knife, but did not find the woman at the original crime scene.

Banner and other officers searched for the woman until they found her several houses down, the Weatherford Democrat reported. Once they found her, Banner and another officer performed first-aid, which police said saved her life.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 1:54 PM.