MARQUETTE, MI-- Police, emergency personnel and electric line workers were very busy Monday, as an ice storm covered most of the Upper Peninsula.
The Marquette County Sheriff’s Office asked residents to stay off roadways as morning rain froze when temperatures dropped later in the day. Deputies said they dealt with a high number of accidents and vehicles in ditches. Businesses closed early, mail delivery to the Marquette area was canceled due to slippery conditions, and schools across the region canceled both classes and after-school activities.
City workers spent a good part of the day clearing slush from storm drains, which were clogged and creating large areas of standing water on streets.
And crews with Upper Peninsula Power Company and the Marquette Board of Light and Power spent the day fixing lines downed by heavy, ice-covered trees and branches. Officials ask residents to contact their utility if they see an unsafe situation or remain without power.
