Fire fatality reported in Dawson

Overnight fire claims life of Dawson man

February 23, 2026Updated: February 23, 2026
By Dan Swanson

DAWSON - The Richardson County Sheriff's Office reports a fire fatality in Dawson on Saturday.

Authorities have identified the victim as 70-year-old Michael Leroy Ruch, who lived in a house at 526 Ninth St. He was found in a bedroom in the northwest corner of the house after the fire had been extinguished.

A sheriff's office press release says the cause of the fire around 12:31 a.m. has not been determined.

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