By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Chicago police are questioning a man in connection with a fire that killed Chicago Firefighter Michael Altman during a March multi-alarm blaze.
• The fire occurred March 16 in a three-deck residential building on the city’s Far North Side.
• Authorities have identified the incident as a working fire and are investigating possible criminal causes.
• The Chicago Fire Department and police said the investigation remains active and no charges have been announced.
CHICAGO, IL — Chicago police are questioning a man in connection with a March 16 fire that killed Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Michael Altman as crews battled heavy flames in a three-story residential building on the city’s Far North Side, officials said.
The blaze broke out in a structure on West North Shore Avenue shortly before crews arrived, rapidly escalating to a multi-alarm fire with heavy fire conditions on multiple floors, according to fire department statements.
Altman, a veteran firefighter, was injured during interior fire suppression operations and later died at a hospital, the Chicago Fire Department said. His death marked a line-of-duty fatality for the department.
Police officials said they have identified a person of interest and are questioning the individual as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances and possible criminal involvement in the origin of the fire. No charges have been filed, and authorities did not release additional details about the subject’s identity or status.
Investigators continue to work with the Chicago Fire Department’s fire marshal and other agencies to determine the fire’s cause and any potential link to criminal actions, officials said. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.