Cause Of Fire That Killed MN Wild Reporter, Her 3 Kids Revealed By Investigators

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN — The March house fire that killed a White Bear Lake mother, her three children, and the family dog was accidental and caused by overheating electrical equipment in the home office, according to preliminary findings released Thursday by the State Fire Marshal.

Jessi Hinrichs, her children Hudson, Cayden and Avery, and their dog died in the March 21 fire.

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Hinrichs was known to Minnesota hockey fans as Jessi Pierce, the name she used during a decade covering the Minnesota Wild for NHL.com.

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Hinrichs is survived by her husband, Mike Hinrichs, the children's father.

Investigators determined the fire started in a room being used as an office, DPS said.

Heavy fire damage and a roof collapse kept investigators from confirming the location of every smoke alarm in the home.

Through the investigation and interviews, they determined there was a smoke alarm near the bedrooms and likely another near the basement stairs.

Investigators also used fire and smoke modeling software to estimate how quickly conditions changed inside the home. The modeling showed the smoke alarm closest to the bedrooms would have gone off about four minutes after the fire began.

About a minute later, conditions along the main escape path would have become almost impossible to navigate.

The home was built in 1952 and was typical of that era, with fewer electrical outlets than newer homes and smoke alarms that were not interconnected, according to DPS.

"There is no investigation finding that can change the loss this family is living with," State Fire Marshal Dan Krier said. "But we hope this investigation can help bring some understanding to what happened and remind all of us how quickly a residential fire can develop. Sometimes there may be very little time to react, which is why every second matters."

"This was an absolute tragedy, and six months later, our thoughts remain with the family's loved ones, their friends, their neighbors and the broader community," White Bear Lake Fire Chief Greg Peterson said.

The State Fire Marshal division worked with the Ramsey County Fire Investigation Team and the White Bear Lake fire marshal on the investigation.

Officials used Thursday's announcement to urge Minnesotans to protect their own homes. They recommend plugging devices directly into wall outlets when possible, checking cords and devices for damage or overheating, and charging devices on hard, stable surfaces.

Officials also recommend having at least one working smoke alarm on every level of the home and inside each bedroom, ideally interconnected, and a practiced escape plan with two ways out of every sleeping room when possible.

Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Amanda Swenson said working smoke alarms, safe electrical practices and a practiced escape plan "can provide critical layers of protection and give people more time to recognize a fire and get out safely."

A GoFundMe fundraiser set up for Mike Hinrichs had raised more than $248,000 of its $300,000 goal from about 2,600 donations as of Thursday morning.