SODUS TOWNSHIP — A fire that started early Saturday morning at the Cosmo Extended Living Hotel in Sodus Township left six people dead and others injured.

Firefighters responded to the hotel located at 2699 S. M-139 at about 1:45 a.m. When they arrived, the hotel was filled with flames and smoke. The first responders began to evacuate the building, and the fire was extinguished by personnel.

Several individuals were transported to Lakeland Medical Center and six individuals are confirmed deceased as a result of the fire, police said. The victims have been identified as The victims have been identified as: The victims were family and have been identified as:

Kiarre Curtis, 26; Marquise Thompson, 10; Gerome Randolph, 7; Samuel Curtis, 5; Savod Curtis, 4 and Avery Curtis, 2. Four other individuals and four first responders were treated and released at Lakeland Medical Center.

At the time of the fire, 27 rooms were occupied at this extended living facility. The American Red Cross is working to find shelter for these individuals.

The Michigan State Police Fire Marshall Division is assisting the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office in determining the cause and origin of the fire.

Preliminary estimates show that 90 percent of the rooms sustained smoke, fire or water damage.

Curtis’ husband, Samuel Curtis, 36, and one of her children, 1, were able to escape from the motel at the time of this tragic incident.

They were two of the individuals treated and released at Lakeland Medical Center for possible smoke inhalation.

The Michigan State Police Fire Marshall Division and the United States Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division completed their on-scene investigation Saturday into the cause and origin of this fatal fire.

The preliminary results of this investigation did not reveal the presence of an accelerants or illegal narcotic manufacturing.

Further forensic testing will be conducted on samples taken from room #135, on the first floor of the motel, where the investigators have determined the origin of the fire had started.

The preliminary findings of the Michigan State Police Fire Marshall Division and the United States Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division indicate this fire was accidental.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office also contracted with a private security company out of the Grand Rapids area to test the fire alarm and smoke detector system of this motel

No information on the fire alarm and smoke detector system analysis is available at this time, as the contracted company has to do some forensic testing on the system.

The victims of this incident were not residing in the room, where the cause and origin indicates the fire had started. The victims were residing on the second floor of this motel.

Autopsies are scheduled for the six victims on Sunday July 29, to determine the cause of death, which authorities believe is smoke inhalation.

The investigation is ongoing and further information will be provided as received, police said.