Officials in White Bear Lake have provided an update on the devastating house fire that claimed the lives of NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three young children on Saturday.
In a Monday evening post, the White Bear Lake Fire Department says that the cause of the fire at Pierce’s home on the 2100 block of Richard Avenue is still under investigation, but its “preliminary findings have not led to any evidence that the fire was set intentionally.”
“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.
Pierce, 37, legal name Jessi Hinrichs, died along with children Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4, and the family dog in the fire, which was reported to authorities at 5:26 a.m. Saturday.
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Jessi PierceJessi Pierce, Instagram
(Jessi Pierce, Instagram)
It has been reported by Minnesota Wild insider Michael Russo of The Athletic that Mike Hinrichs – Pierce’s husband and the children’s father – was out of town on a work trip at the time of the fire.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help Hinrichs in the wake of his devastating loss. As of Monday morning it had raised just over $80,000. By 7 p.m. Monday, that figure had grown to $146,000.
Pierce, a Minnesota Wild reporter for NHL.com and a regular fixture on Twin Cities radio, particularly on sports talk station Skor North, was a hugely popular figure in the Twin Cities media and wider NHL community.
Tributes from the Minnesota Wild, including General Manager Bill Guerin, were shared by the team on Monday.
This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
