Overview
- The blaze that swept through the family’s White Bear Lake home Saturday was reported at 5:26 a.m., and firefighters later found Jessi Pierce, 38, her children ages 8, 6 and 4, and the family dog deceased inside.
- The White Bear Lake Fire Department says early findings show no evidence the fire was set on purpose, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal is leading the origin-and-cause investigation.
- A public visitation is scheduled for Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Mueller Memorial in White Bear Lake, with community members invited to pay respects.
- Pierce’s husband, Mike Hinrichs, who was away on a work trip at the time of the fire, has asked for privacy as a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs and support has surpassed $200,000.
- Tributes have poured in from the hockey world, including an open press-box seat and a moment of silence at a Tampa Bay Lightning game, reflecting Pierce’s decade covering the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com.