Fire officials: No evidence of arson in fire that killed hockey journalist Jessi Pierce and her 3 children
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Fire officials in White Bear Lake say they do not suspect arson in the house fire over the weekend that killed longtime Minnesota hockey reporter Jessi Pierce and her three young children.
In an update Monday evening, the White Bear Lake Fire Department said it continues to investigate alongside the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
“We are in the very early stages of the investigation, and our preliminary findings have not led to any evidence that the fire was set intentionally,” the fire department reported.
“Our priorities are, first and foremost, being present for those directly affected by this tragedy, conducting a thorough investigation, and ensuring our first responders involved in this incident heal alongside the community,” the department said. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those lost this weekend.”
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
The fire was reported just before 5:30 a.m. Saturday. Crews found the home engulfed in flames, and later found an adult and three children dead inside the building.
Friends and colleagues on social media identified the victims as Pierce and her three children — Hudson, Cayden and Avery, ages 8, 6 and 4. Authorities have not officially announced the names of the people who died in the fire.
Pierce’s husband was out of town on business at the time of the fire. An online fundraiser to cover funeral expenses and support the family has raised more than $170,000.
The fire left Minnesota’s hockey community in mourning. Pierce had covered the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com for the past decade and co-hosted a hockey podcast.
The Wild returned to the ice for practice on Monday with their hearts and minds still heavy from the tragedy over the weekend.
“We’re just at a loss for words. She was a special person who brought a lot of light to this room,” Wild captain Jared Spurgeon said Monday. “She was always smiling, joking around. When I first heard, it’s something that you really don’t believe that could happen, and it’s still hard to really wrap your mind around it. Obviously everyone here, our hearts and prayers are out to her family.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
