NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children died in a house fire in Minnesota on Saturday, the competition announced on Sunday.
Pierce, 37, has covered the Minnesota Wild for the past decade as a correspondent for NHL.com.
“The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children,” Bill Price, vice president and editor-in-chief of NHL.com, said in a statement. “Jessi’s love for her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. It was an absolute pleasure to talk and work with her. She will be greatly missed.”
Firefighters responded to a house fire in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, on Saturday morning. Neighbors called 911 and reported seeing flames coming through the roof. Firefighters found an adult, three children and a dog inside the home and all were dead, the White Bear Lake Fire Department said. The department did not release the names of the victims in its statement Saturday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
“Our hearts ache for those involved in this tragedy. We ask for the opportunity to give our community the opportunity to come together and support each other during this difficult time,” Fire Chief Greg Peterson said in the statement.
The Minnesota Wild mourned her loss on social media on Sunday.
“Jessi was a kind, compassionate person who cared deeply about her family and those around her. She served as an ambassador for the game of hockey during her time reporting for the Wild and the NHL,” said the social media post.
Minnesota is known as the “State of Hockey,” and the Wild have had one of the largest fan bases since their inception in 2000. The North Stars had moved to Dallas to become the Stars in the early 1990s.
Associated Press writer Stephen Whyno, who lives in New York, contributed to this report.
