Four people were homeless Sunday after a blaze destroyed a Canosia Township residence.
Firefighters were notified of the 5077 Martin Road fire at 11:39 a.m. Sunday. The home belonged to Mary Engen.
Other residents included Engen's daughter, Carol Engen; granddaughter Katie Engen and her boyfriend, Charles Revere.
When Carol Engen returned to the residence late Sunday morning, she was immediately alarmed by what she found.
"I opened the door and saw smoke, so I knew something was really wrong," she said.
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Carol Engen quickly located her elderly mother and escorted her out of the home with the help of Bob Siegle, a family friend. She then ran back inside to see if her daughter, Katie, was still in bed. Both Katie and Charles were gone at the time.
Finding Katie's bedroom empty, Carol said she tried to round up pets from the house, but she couldn't see through the thickening smoke and soon realized she was in danger of succumbing to it herself if she didn't leave.
"I told her to just get out of there," recalled Siegle, who grew increasingly concerned about Carol Engen's welfare as smoke quickly filled home.
Five dogs escaped the blaze, but two dogs, two cats and one ferret were killed.
By the time firefighters reached the scene, the fire had reached the roof, and the home was soon fully engulfed.
Responding were the Canosia, Rice Lake and Hermantown fire departments.
A report from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said the cause of the fire was unknown Sunday afternoon. The home was listed as "a total loss."
The American Red Cross was called upon to assist the displaced residents.
