Dale’s Penthouse was a posh restaurant located on top of the Walter Bragg Apartments, now called Capital Towers. The restaurant was known for its elaborate décor as well as for having a menu that appealed to any palate. It was frequented by politicians, businessmen, and many of the social elite.
Located high atop the 11th floor of the apartments, the restaurant held spectacular views of the growing city of Montgomery. The restaurant featured a terrace with outdoor tables, which added to one’s dining experience. A trip to Dale’s for a party or night out was a truly unique experience.
The Walter Bragg Apartment Building was an architectural marvel for its time. It was completed in 1954 and won a prestigious architectural award for design. Having a restaurant such as Dale’s Penthouse only added to the splendor of the building. However, the majesty of the restaurant was reduced to cinders on the night of February 7, 1967.
That evening, around 9:30, what began as a small fire in the cloakroom, soon turned the restaurant into an inferno. The official story claims the fire began with a smoldering pipe a patron left in his coat pocket when it was checked at the cloak room. The nonexistence of the fire regulations we have today, led the fire to spread and trap many of the patrons. The fire exit was located near the cloakroom and once the fire began to spread, the stairway was blocked. Patrons began to break the large windows to escape; however, the rush of air caused the fire to spread faster.
One of the heroes that night was Jesse Williams, who was head chef of the restaurant. Williams led several groups from the restaurant in the elevator and was trying to return for another group when the elevator stopped, trapping him inside. He was able to escape the elevator by climbing out and sliding down the elevator cable to safety.
Other patrons, unable to leave the restaurant by elevator or stairway, found themselves on the balcony, trying to crawl to safety. Some climbed down to the 10th floor on the outside of the building, while others fell to the street below.
Firefighters were not prepared for a fire of this scale. Montgomery did not have a fire truck with a ladder to reach the 11th floor. Also, the temperature that evening was in the upper 20s, which became a major problem as the water used to by the fire department immediately turned to ice.