The house fire that killed NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three young children began with overheating electrical equipment in a home office — and investigators say the sleeping family may have had just one minute after a smoke alarm sounded before their primary escape route became nearly impossible to navigate.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s State Fire Marshal division announced Thursday the preliminary findings of its six-month investigation into the March 21 house fire that killed Pierce, whose legal name was Jessi Hinrichs, and her children, Hudson, 8, Cayden, 6, and Avery, 4. The family dog also died in the fire.
Investigators determined the fire was accidental and electrical in nature and originated in a room the family used as an office.
State Fire Marshal Dan Krier said the office contained a desk, computer equipment, a small sofa and other items typical of a modern home office.
But the room itself did not have an electrical outlet.
Power had to be brought into the office from an adjacent room through an extension cord, Krier said. Investigators found electrical equipment in the room that included an extension cord, power strip and power adapter — common items Krier noted are used in homes across Minnesota.
The State Fire Marshal’s preliminary findings attribute the fire to overheating electrical equipment but do not identify which specific piece of equipment overheated.
The home was built in 1952, when houses generally contained fewer electrical outlets because families had far fewer devices requiring power, Krier explained.
“With modern conveniences, it can be difficult to be able to provide electricity and power to all of the things that we do and all of the work that we need to perform,” he said.
Just minutes to escape
Investigators also used fire and smoke modeling to reconstruct how conditions likely developed inside the home.
The results revealed an extremely narrow window for escape.
The model indicated that a smoke alarm closest to the bedrooms would have activated approximately four minutes after the fire began. About five minutes after ignition, smoke and heat along the family’s primary exit route would have made it nearly impossible to navigate.
“It would have been too hot, too smoky to see,” Krier said, adding that breathing would have been difficult unless someone was crawling along the floor.
The fire broke out early in the morning while the family was sleeping.
“That quick development really indicates they had one minute from when they had to be notified,” Krier said. “They had to wake up, they had to respond and make a decision that they had to leave.”
“To wake up and to make a decision that is a life-or-death decision in one minute is really difficult,” he added.
Smoke alarms were not interconnected
Investigators could not determine the exact location of every smoke alarm because of the extensive fire damage and collapse of the home’s roof.
However, investigators determined through physical evidence and interviews that there was a smoke alarm near the bedrooms and likely another in the dining room near the stairs leading to the basement. The latter would have been closest to the office where the fire began.
Because the 1952 home predated modern smoke-alarm requirements, its alarms were not interconnected, according to investigators.
That meant an alarm detecting smoke in one area would not automatically trigger every alarm throughout the house.
Krier stressed that the home’s age and electrical configuration were not unusual.
“The circumstances of what caused this tragedy are present in many homes across the state,” he said.
‘Worst loss of life’ in department history
White Bear Lake firefighters were called to the home on Richard Avenue at approximately 5:26 a.m. March 21 after 911 callers reported flames coming through the roof and said people could be inside.
Fire Chief Greg Peterson said Thursday that crews arrived to find heavy fire throughout much of the first floor and roof.
Firefighters launched what Peterson described as an aggressive attack, using multiple hose lines while attempting to find ways into the burning home to search for the family.
They were unable to save them.
Peterson said the deaths represented the worst loss of life from a structure fire in the White Bear Lake Fire Department’s 138-year history.
“Jessi, Hudson, Cayden and Avery will forever be loved and remembered by their husband and father, Mike Hinrichs, and the White Bear Lake, Mahtomedi and hockey communities,” Peterson said.
Mike Hinrichs was away on a work trip when the fire occurred.
Pierce was well known in Minnesota’s hockey community through her work covering the NHL and as a podcaster.
Investigators had said shortly after the fire that initial evidence indicated it had not been intentionally set. Thursday’s announcement went further, identifying an accidental electrical origin.
Krier said he personally responded to the scene and assisted investigators.
“As I think back to that day, I can tell you that this home is full of love,” he said, recalling bunk beds, children’s toys, family photographs and hockey memorabilia investigators encountered inside.
“There is no investigation finding that can change the loss this family is living with,” 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.”
The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the findings remain preliminary.
Officials urged homeowners to avoid relying on extension cords for permanent wiring, inspect electrical cords and devices for signs of damage or overheating and plug devices directly into wall outlets when possible.
They also recommended working smoke alarms on every level and inside each sleeping room, with interconnected alarms when possible, as well as a practiced home escape plan with more than one way out.
The investigation involved the State Fire Marshal division, Ramsey County Fire Investigation Team and White Bear Lake fire officials.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
