Popular NHL Reporter and 3 Children Die in House Fire: ‘We Are Absolutely Heartbroken’

Veteran NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three young children died in a house fire early on Saturday morning in Minnesota.

NBC Nightly News reported on the tragedy on Sunday, as devastated neighbors and fans mourned the loss of the 37-year-old journalist — best known for covering the Minnesota Wild for more than a decade — and her kids.

“Officials say neighbors called 911 early Saturday morning when they saw flames coming out of the roof,” anchor Hallie Jackson reported. Footage of flames coming from Pierce’s home and firefighters arriving at the scene played as Jackson shared details on the fire, which happened in White Bear Lake, a suburb about 20 miles away from Minneapolis.

Jackson reported neighbors were “in shock,” before NBC played a clip of a middle-aged gentleman who was on the verge of tears while speaking to reporters.

“They were good kids,” the neighbor said. “It’s sad.”

Pierce shared pictures of her three children — 8-year-old Hudson, 6-year-old Cayden, and 4-year-old Avery — with her 19,000 X followers on Friday, just hours before the blaze. The tear-inducing pictures show the three kids enjoying big ice cream cones and cups.

Pierce covered the Wild for NHL.com, and also contributed sports content to SKOR North, a Minnesota sports-focused website. SKOR North was also home to the podcast Pierce co-hosted called Bardown Beauties.

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

SKOR North boss Phil Mackey issued a similar statement that started off by saying “we are absolutely heartbroken and devastated by the death of our coworker Jessi Pierce… as well as her three kids.”

The White Bear Lake Fire Department has not determined what caused the fire.

Watch NBC’s report above.

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