NHL Reporter Jessi Pierce, Three Children Die in Minnesota House Fire

Hockey journalist Jessi Pierce, who covered the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com, and her three children tragically died in a house fire Saturday morning in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The 37-year-old reporter had spent the last ten years covering the team for the league's official website.

A tragic house fire in Minnesota claimed the lives of NHL journalist Jessi Pierce and her three children over the weekend, according to an announcement from the hockey league on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Pierce had been reporting on the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com as their dedicated correspondent for ten years.

“The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children,” NHL.com’s vice president and editor-in-chief Bill Price expressed in an official statement. “Jessi’s love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. She was an absolute joy to talk to and work with. She will be deeply missed.”

Emergency crews rushed to a residential fire Saturday morning in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, after neighbors contacted 911 reporting flames breaking through the home’s roof. When firefighters arrived and searched the structure, they discovered an adult, three children, and a dog had all perished in the blaze, according to the White Bear Lake Fire Department. Officials did not identify the victims by name in their Saturday announcement.

Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the deadly fire.

“Out hearts ache for those involved in this tragedy. We ask for the opportunity to allow our community to come together and support one another during this difficult time,” Fire Chief Greg Peterson stated.

The Minnesota Wild organization paid tribute to Pierce through their social media channels on Sunday.

“Jessi was a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her. She served as an ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL,” the team wrote online.

Minnesota has earned recognition as the “State of Hockey,” with the Wild building one of the sport’s most devoted followings since the franchise began play in 2000. The team filled the void left when the North Stars relocated to Dallas in the early 1990s to become the Stars.