NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children died in a house fire in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, on Saturday, the league has confirmed. Pierce, 37, had covered the Minnesota Wild as the NHL.com correspondent for the past decade.
Firefighters responded to the blaze after neighbours reported flames coming through the roof. Crews found an adult, three children and a dog deceased inside the home. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the White Bear Lake Fire Department said.
“Jessi’s love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work,” said Bill Price, editor-in-chief of NHL.com. The Minnesota Wild also paid tribute, describing her as a kind, compassionate person who served as an ambassador for the game.
Minnesota, often called the “State of Hockey”, has been home to the Wild since 2000, following the departure of the North Stars to Dallas in the early 1990s. The team’s fanbase is among the largest in the NHL.
