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Remembering the Moberly, Missouri, fire that left 12 dead and a man in prison for life

The fire in a Moberly, Missouri, tavern on Feb. 16, 1968, made national headlines.

ST. LOUIS — A sad look back to 1968 in Our Vintage KSDK.

On Feb. 16, 12 people died in a tavern fire in a hotel in Moberly, Missouri, about two hours northwest of St. Louis.

At about 3 p.m. that Friday, a man walked into the bar, threw a bucket of gasoline on the floor and lit a match. Flames exploded in the crowded room.

Many escaped through the front door, but four men and eight women died. They were trapped in the back of the building and died tried to break down a door. In a panic, they kept pushing out on a door that opened in.

William Coleman, 36, was charged with first-degree murder. Investigators said he was an ex-convict angry that he'd been banned from the bar.

He was initially given the death penalty, but that was later changed to life in prison.

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