MARQUETTE — A Marquette Township man, his daughter and their family dog safely escaped a structure fire on Forestville Road late Sunday evening, although their home was a total loss.

Weather played a factor in firefighters’ efforts to extinguish the blaze, although they were able to prevent flames from destroying nearby outbuildings, according to Marquette Township Fire and Rescue Chief Dan Shanahan.

“It became very windy which really hampered things quite a bit,” he said.

Four departments responded just a few minutes after midnight Monday to the burning two-story residence, located about four miles off Wright Street on an icy and snow-covered stretch of road. Joining Marquette Township Fire at the scene were Chocolay Township, Negaunee Township and Marquette City fire departments, as well as UPHS-Marquette Emergency Care Services.

Shanahan said Marquette County Road Commission employees played a vital role in helping firefighters navigate their way away from the scene, as the road became impassable due to water overflow from hoses used to knock down the inferno.

“They came out and sanded the roads very well for us. We were not sure how we were going to get out of there; getting in was very, very tough. Everybody appreciated that,” Shanahan said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters cleared the scene shortly after 4 a.m. Monday.