Roger Rueter dies in fatal Jacksonville house fire

Roger Rueter dies in fatal Jacksonville house fire

Fatal Jacksonville house fire death of Roger Rueter – Obituary

On January 29, 2026, 66-year-old Roger Rueter, a wheelchair-bound man, tragically died in a house fire in Jacksonville, Illinois. Firefighters responded to the blaze at 842 W. Walnut St. around 6 p.m. after the front door of the home was found open. Upon entering, crews discovered Rueter’s body inside the residence.

The fire had smoldered in a few areas, and firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and ventilated the house. No one else was found inside. Rueter had been renting the home from his landlord, Rick Spencer, for six years. Spencer, who runs a barber shop next door, noticed the fire after hearing his dogs barking and a strange noise coming from the house. Upon investigating, he discovered the fire, which seemed to have originated from the air conditioning unit.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, though it is not considered suspicious at this time. The official cause of Rueter’s death has yet to be confirmed.