COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater Inn Motel was heavily damaged by fire early today with the blaze sending about 60 occupants of the motel along US 12 on Coldwater’s west side out into the sub-zero weather. There have been no reports of injury from the fire that gutted the office area and leveled the one story section of rooms that stretch to the east of the office location. An attached two story wing on the east side of the motel property seemed mostly to have been spared. The blaze broke out around 4 a.m. with flames and smoke showing in the office area of the building when a Michigan State Police trooper was first to arrive on scene. Troopers and Coldwater City Police worked to get all of the tenants out of the complex.
There was a much smaller blaze in the same west area of the motel that happened around 7:30 last night but it was quickly contained by the Coldwater Fire Department. Further details on the first fire were not immediately available. Coldwater, Bronson, Quincy, Union City, Lakeland and the Colon Fire Departments all worked on the fire this morning.
The displaced residents were first taken to the Coldwater Church of the Nazarene for shelter and later were relocated at the Coach Eby Youth and Family Center in Coldwater. The Red Cross has also assisted along with the Branch County Sheriff’s Department Victim Services Unit. A section of US 12 in the area was closed on the west at Behnke Road and on the East at Western Avenue.
Bulldozers and front loaders were brought to the motel property to help collapse the roof of the one story section to help extinguish the fire.
Clothing and donations to aid the affected individuals and families is being accepted at the Shelterhouse on North Michigan Avenue with assistance from the United Way. The Eby Center hosted a brunch and there will be a dinner this evening at the Center as well.
The Coldwater Fire Department and Michigan State Police are continuing the investigation of the fire.
