White Bear Lake fatal fire: No evidence fire was intentionally set
Hockey reporter, 3 children dead after house fire
Tributes are pouring in for beloved sports writer and hockey personality Jessi Pierce and her three children, who authorities have identified as the victims found after a tragic house fire in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Firefighters say there is no evidence that the fire that ripped through a White Bear Lake home, which claimed the lives of a beloved hockey reporter and her three children, was intentionally set.
Investigation continues into deadly house fire
The backstory:
The fire broke out during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 21, on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue, which is just off White Bear Avenue north of County Road E.
Neighbors called 911, reporting seeing flames shooting from the roof of the home. Firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames. When they were able to knock down the fire, they found all four victims inside.
Local perspective:
The White Bear Lake Fire Department and Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office are dedicating all possible resources to the investigation.
"We are doing everything we can to find out what led to this tragedy," a statement from the fire department reads. Firefighters add that the investigation is still in its early stages and no evidence has been found that the fire was set intentionally.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and officials say more information will be released once the investigation is complete.
Minnesota Wild players, staff carry heavy hearts after Jessi Pierce's death
The Minnesota Wild start a three-game road trip at the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night, and the team will be playing with heavy hearts the rest of the season. That's after Jessi Pierce, who covered the Wild for NHL.com, was found dead in a house fire in White Bear Lake early Saturday morning, along with her three kids.
Community support and healing efforts
Why you should care:
The loss has deeply affected White Bear Lake, with officials acknowledging the pain felt by family, friends and first responders. The City of White Bear Lake’s embedded mental health professional is working with staff to help them process the tragedy.
Pierce was a prominent figure in the hockey community. She co-hosted the Bardown Beauties podcast and covered the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com. Her loss is being felt deeply by the team.
"Words just can’t express how devastated we all are, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the media, if you’re a player, in management, if you’re a coach. We’re all in this hockey world together. Jessi was always happy, always in a good mood, always a pleasure to deal with for me. We’ll miss her. I just want you guys to know we’re here for you," Wild GM Bill Guerin said.
What we don't know:
The official cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and no further details about the victims have been released.