DALLAS — On a cold February night in 1964, a fire alarm box was pulled on the corner of Commerce and Browder in Downtown Dallas.
Dallas firefighters arrived at the Golden Pheasant, a once well-known and high-end steak restaurant.
"The fire became so bad that it resulted in being a five-alarm fire," said Mark Manley, the son of Ronald Manley, one of the responding firefighters to the scene.
The firefighters were pulling in hoses and trying to locate where the fire was. They discovered it was in the basement, and later the fire was determined to be arson. "At that point, it was too late and the floor collapsed. And it resulted in the subsequent floors above collapsing," said Mark.
Watch the full interview with Mark Manley here:
There was a printing press on the third floor with heavy machinery that fell into the basement. Four firemen fell with the debris. They were trapped and killed during the Golden Pheasant fire.
James Bigham, Jerry Henderson, James Gresham, and Ronald Manley were the four firefighters who lost their lives 60 years ago.
750 firefighters were on the scene, many digging to recover their bodies. They were found huddled together near an outside wall. They left behind family, friends, and loved ones.
R.C. Pennington Jr., a retired Dallas firefighter remembers the Golden Pheasant fire. He was off-duty but called in to work. He was not only colleagues but also friends with the deceased.
"Me and Ronald were friends," said R.C. "I've always felt sort of guilty." They were childhood friends, growing up in Canton together. In the late 1950's, he told Ronald about job openings at the Dallas Fire Department. "If I hadn't told him, he might still be here."
More than 1,000 spectators reportedly went downtown to watch the recovery efforts.
"All I can remember is digging in the rubble and moving as much of it as I could as fast as I could," said R.C.
"It was trying times. It was sad times," R.C. said it was difficult when he learned that his close friends had died in the fire. He went on to work as a firefighter in Dallas for 30 years. He's been retired for 36 years, and will never forget that day.
For Mark, he was two years old when his father died. He focuses on the fallen firefighters' legacy.
Mark said this fire created positive change in the community. It's used as a teaching opportunity for firefighters across the country. In addition, compensation for families changed as a result of this blaze. He also said it initiated a focus on installing fire alarms and water sprinklers in older buildings.
February 16, 1964, 60 years later, still marks the worst fire in Dallas history due to the number of firefighters who died.
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