4 kids, their mother, 3 dogs killed in overnight house fire, authorities say

FERGUSON, Mo. (First Alert 4/Gray News) - The St. Louis County Police Department has opened a criminal investigation into an early morning fire that killed a mother and her four children in Ferguson, Missouri.

The fire happened at 510 N. Clay Avenue and caused extensive damage.

A relative identified the adult victim of the fire as 38-year-old Bernadine “Birdie” Pruessner. She was hired in 2022 as a professor at Lewis and Clark College, according to online reports.

“Her smile would light up the room. She was just one of those people that if you were in a bad mood and you talked to her, she would make you feel a lot better,” said Tyler Justice, a relative of the victim.

The children who perished in the fire were identified as Pruessner’s 9-year-old twin daughters, Ellie and Ivy, a 5-year-old son named Jackson and 2-year-old Millie.

“They were some of the smartest, brightest kids you could have, and full of life just like she was,” said Justice.

Authorities are investigating an overnight house fire that killed five people and three dogs... — Authorities are investigating an overnight house fire that killed five people and three dogs in Missouri.

A neighbor said he woke up at 4:30 a.m. and saw the glow of the flames through his window. The neighbor said he ran to the house and banged on the door to try to wake the family while his wife called 911.

Friend, family and neighbors said they are devastated to know that no one was able to escape the fire.

“It felt like my heart just fell to the bottom of my stomach, and all I could really do was just pray,” said Jamie Young, a neighbor.

The Ferguson Police Department requested St. Louis County Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives take over the investigation. St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson detectives and Crime Scene Unit detectives are also assisting.

Birdie Pruessner was known for her love of animals and regularly had chickens and rabbits.

An animal rescue organization was at the house late in the afternoon to rescue 11 rabbits and two cats. The family’s three dogs did not survive the fire.

“This was a wonderful group of people that the world is sadly lesser for not having,” said Justice.