Video: Sarasota police officers rush into burning motel to rescue residents

SARASOTA, Fla. - Body camera footage shows the harrowing moments Sarasota police officers rushed toward a burning motel off North Tamiami Trail to pull residents from the flames.

Officers responded to the Cadillac Motel in the 4000 block of North Tamiami Trail just before 7 a.m. Saturday after a fire broke out in a room, according to the Sarasota Police Department.

Sarasota police motel fire rescue

What we know:

Officers Brendan Cook and Krista Gagnon arrived as heavy flames engulfed a room at the seven-unit, single-story motel.

Footage shows officers pounding on doors and calling out to warn people to get out immediately.

Rescue footage

What they're saying:

"Get out, there's a fire! Police department!" officers shouted during the urgent response.

"All the officers that responded work really well together. There’s no time for discussion, we all just fall into our roles and know what needs to be done and get the job done," Cook said. 

They worked to evacuate a man moving slowly inside his room who did not come out at first.

"At that point there was no going into the room, there was no using a fire extinguisher, that would have done nothing. At that point, evacuation was first and foremost what we needed to do," Gagnon said. 

Dig deeper:

According to the Sarasota County Fire Department, the fire started in one unit before spreading into the attic.

One person was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Cook said seeing the room engulfed made him immediately worry someone was inside, adding that "the fact that it was just minor injuries is more than a blessing."

Gagnon said neither officer thought twice about moving toward the fire because, "you get a call for service, you respond to the calls for service."

State Fire Marshal investigation

What we don't know:

The State Fire Marshal continues to investigate how the blaze started.

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