State Fire Marshal To Reveal Findings Today In Fire That Killed MN Wild Reporter, 3 Kids

A mother, her three children, and the family dog died in the March 21 house fire. Investigators are set to share what they found.

By William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

Sep 24, 2026 9:35 AM CDT

A moment of silence was held for NHL.com reporter Jessi Pierce and her kids Hudson, Cayden and Avery Hinrichs prior to an NHL hockey game between the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN — State fire investigators will announce Thursday what they found during a six-month investigation into the White Bear Lake house fire that killed a mother, her three children and the family dog in March.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's State Fire Marshal division, along with the White Bear Lake Fire Department, will present the preliminary results at an 11 a.m. news conference at DPS headquarters in St. Paul, the department announced Thursday morning.

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

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

Her death drew tributes from the Wild, the NHL, and colleagues across the Twin Cities and national sports media landscape.

Crews were called around 5:30 a.m. that Saturday to the 2100 block of Richard Avenue after neighbors reported flames coming through the roof, according to the White Bear Lake Fire Department.

Firefighters found the four victims and the dog dead inside.

State Fire Marshal Dan Krier, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Amanda Swenson, and White Bear Lake Fire Chief Greg Peterson are scheduled to speak at Thursday's news conference.

DPS said it will livestream the news conference online. If the livestream is interrupted, a recording will be posted to the department's YouTube channel after the event.

A GoFundMe fundraiser set up for Mike Hinrichs, Jessi's husband and the children's father, had raised more than $248,000 of its $300,000 goal from about 2,600 donations as of Thursday morning.

Organizers said the money will cover funeral expenses and support the family as they grieve.

"Jessi had a larger-than-life personality and an even bigger heart," the fundraiser reads. "She was devoted to her family, going above and beyond to create many moments of joy and everlasting memories."

This story will be updated after the news conference.