The 1986 Fort Collins Bar Fire That Killed 2 Over a $5 Bet

It's sad to look back at places that might be missed in Fort Collins and find tragedy attached. A long-forgotten Colorado bar was the scene of a fire that took two lives after a $5 bet went horribly wrong.

What Was the $5 Bet That Lead to Such a Tragic Night in Fort Collins?

On the last Saturday night of 1986 in Fort Collins, people were out having fun at a bar called 'The Peoples'  Bar.' It's reported that two women at the bar had made a bet the the garland on a Christmas tree inside was fire retardant or not. Tina Marie Gellner reportedly used her cigarette to see, and a fire started.

Two Men Die in Bar Fire in Fort Collins in 1986

There were about 100 people inside The Peoples' bar that night, two men did not escape with their lives: Alden Klein, 32, of Loveland, and Donald Kirk, 51, of Cody, Nebraska.

READ MORE: Where Does Fort Collins Billionaire Pat Stryker's Money Come From?

Where Was The Peoples' Bar in Fort Collins?

An article from The Coloradoan notes that The Peoples' Bar was off Lemay, just north of Elizabeth. You'll find a Comfort Dental location there, as of the spring of 2026, 40 years since the year of the fire.

What Happened to the Women Involved in the Fire?

One of the two women, Rita Ohlmann, (35 at the time) charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, fourth-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson, took a plea deal to lesser charges.

Tina Marie Gellner's (21 at the time) case did go go trial, as according to Rocky Mountain News archives; though the article states the jury was deliberating, I could find no further information on the case.