Eight people, including six children, were found dead inside a Michigan residence on Friday, some with gunshot wounds, after emergency crews responded to a house fire, authorities said.

Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Capt. Jake Sparks called the scene "complicated" and "complex" amid the ongoing investigation into the deaths.

Grand Haven Area Public Schools called the incident a "tragic loss for our community."

"Our hearts are with all those impacted, and we know many throughout our community may be grieving and struggling to process this news," the office of the superintendent said in a statement Saturday.

"We ask everyone to respect the privacy of those involved and avoid speculation or sharing information that has not been officially confirmed," the superintendent said.

The district also shared suicide and crisis hotline services for anyone impacted by the deaths.

The incident occurred Friday in Grand Haven Township, located on Lake Michigan west of Grand Rapids.

Fire personnel initially responded to the area Friday morning following reports of the smell of smoke, though they were unable to locate a house fire, according to Sparks.

Several hours later, fire crews returned to the area following calls about white smoke at a residence and went inside the home to battle a fire, Sparks said.