A Michigan man is accused of starting a fire inside the Super 8 motel in Crystal Lake Monday, and the manager who extinguished it is being praised as a “bonafide hero.”

James Roever, 30 of Negaunee, Michigan, is charged with aggravated arson while knowing people were present, a Class X felony, as well as possession of less than 15 grams of crack cocaine, according to the criminal complaint in the McHenry County court.

At 4:50 p.m., Roever “knowingly and intentionally” committed arson to part of the building, knowing the motel was occupied, and possessed crack cocaine, according to the complaint filed by Crystal Lake police.

Roever, who did not have a lawyer listed in court records, is currently in custody at the McHenry County jail and set to make his first court appearance Wednesday.

Sam Patel, manager and part owner of the motel, said he was leaving for the day when he smelled smoke and turned around to check it out.

He said he approached a room when he heard the fire alarm beeping and was able to see inside the room that “there was a live fire on the bathroom floor.”

“I took action, put water from the faucet onto it and put it out,” Patel said, adding of the man in the room, who authorities said was Roever, “I don’t know what was going through his mind.”

William “Will” Leistritz, a motel resident, said he was asleep at the time and was woken up by the fire alarm. He said “every single cop that exists in universe was here.”

He asked Patel the next day what happened and said Patel “nonchalantly” told him.

“He’s a bonafide hero,” Leistritz said of Patel, adding that Patel is humble and would not seek any praise for his actions.

“He risked his own life to save other people. We got a hero here that risked his life by going into the room ... and putting out the fire – that is a hero. I have a whole new respect for this man.”