Crews rescued a mother and toddler from one of three structure fires reported across the city within about 90 minutes.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A St. Paul duplex fire that killed a 38-year-old mother and critically injured her young daughter was one of three structure fires that challenged city crews within about 90 minutes on Aug. 22, as investigators continue working to determine what caused the fatal blaze.
The fire in the 700 block of Magnolia Avenue East became the most serious of the three emergencies that afternoon. Firefighters entered the burning duplex at about 3:30 p.m. and rescued Bonnie Lynn Pierce and her 3-year-old daughter, Grace, from a bedroom. Pierce died Aug. 24 from her injuries. Fire officials said Grace remained hospitalized in critical condition in their latest public update.
Fire-EMS crews arrived to find an active fire on the first floor of the up-and-down duplex. Heavy smoke, fire and intense heat complicated the search inside. Interim Fire Chief Greg Duren said firefighters immediately began looking for people who might be trapped and that one firefighter located an adult woman in a bedroom.
As the firefighter attempted to lift Pierce, he discovered the toddler underneath her, Duren said. Another firefighter helped remove both from the building. Officials later said Pierce had been shielding her daughter. Her family said Pierce had initially escaped but returned after realizing Grace was still inside the burning home.
The Magnolia Avenue East call came roughly an hour after firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 1800 block of the same avenue. Crews contained that earlier fire to the unit where it began, and no injuries were reported. Officials said preliminary information suggested unattended cooking may have contributed to that fire, although its cause remained under investigation.
Just before 4 p.m., another structure fire was reported in the 100 block of Elizabeth Street East. Firefighters found a single-family home heavily involved in flames and initially attacked the fire from outside while protecting a neighboring property. The occupants were not home at the time. The rapid succession of calls required St. Paul crews to manage several major incidents while continuing to provide emergency coverage elsewhere in the city.
At the Magnolia Avenue East duplex, one firefighter sustained minor injuries. Pierce and Grace were transported to a hospital after their rescue. Pierce’s death two days later turned the incident into a fatal fire investigation and brought new attention to what firefighters encountered during their interior search.
Pierce’s family said her 12-year-old daughter, Aurora, also escaped the duplex. A family fundraiser said Aurora got out through a window after removing an air-conditioning unit. The family said Pierce had made it outside before going back for Grace. Fire officials later confirmed that firefighters found Pierce positioned over the younger child.
Officials have released little information about how the fatal fire started or what conditions may have contributed to it. Duren declined to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding the blaze during an Aug. 29 briefing, saying the investigation was still active. No cause had been publicly announced as of Monday.
The investigation into the Magnolia Avenue East fire remains open. Fire officials have not announced when a cause determination could be released, while Grace continues receiving medical care and Pierce’s family mourns her death.
Author note: Last updated August 31, 2026.