Visitation And Funeral Procession Route Announced For Fallen Chicago Firefighter Michael Altman UPDATED

CHICAGO —UPDATE—The funeral mass on Friday, March 27, for CCF Firefighter Michael Altman, who died last week battling an arson fire, has been POSTPONED. Altman and his wife, Nora, who were expecting a baby, has gone into labor, according to the Chicago Fire Department Firefighters Union Local 102.

The walk-through and visitation for the fallen firefighter will proceed as planned Thursday, March 26, at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western Ave., Chicago.

ORIGINAL STORY—Hundreds of mourners, including firefighters, public officials and citizens, are expected to gather at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for the wake and funeral of fallen Chicago firefighter Michael “Mickey” Altman. The visitation and funeral mass are planned for March 26 and March 27, respectively, both at St. Rita.

The 32-year-old firefighter died fighting an arson fire last week in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the city’s North Side. A man has been charged with intentionally starting the blaze.

The times of the wake and funeral are as follows:

Visitation:

Thursday, March 26th, 3 pm to 8 pm

St. Rita of Cascia High School Shrine Chapel

7740 S. Western Avenue, Chicago

Funeral Mass:

Friday, March 27th, 10 am

St. Rita of Cascia High School Shrine Chapel

7740 S. Western Avenue, Chicago

Motorists can expect rolling street closures Thursday morning when the fallen firefighter is taken from Blake-Lamb Funeral Home at 103rd Street and Cicero Avenue to St. Rita beginning around 9 a.m.

The procession will head east on 103rd Street to Western Avenue, where it will turn and head north on Western to St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on the high school campus, 7740 S. Western Ave., Chicago.

Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will likely be heavy Thursday near 103rd St. between Kilpatrick and Keating during this time, and 103rd Street will be blocked during the procession.

On Friday, March 27, parking restrictions and street closures will be in effect from 10 a.m., the time of the funeral mass, to 2 p.m. Following the funeral, the procession bearing the fallen firefighter is as follows:

• SB on Western Avenue from St. Rita to 103rd Street;
• WB on 103rd Street to Kedzie Avenue;
• SB on Kedzie to 111th Street;
• WB on 111th Street to Holy Sepulchre (6001 W. 111th St., Alsip) for burial.

Parking restrictions will also be in place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both sides of the following streets:

• Western Avenue, from 79th to 103rd Streets;
• 103rd Street between Western and Kedzie;
• Kedzie between 103rd and 111th Streets;
• 111th Street between Kedzie and Pulaski Road

Vehicles parked on the posted route will be TOWED.

Oak Lawn Village Manager Tom Phelan and Ald. Matt O'Shea are asking residents to line the procession routes on both days in a show of support for Chicago Firefighter Altman's family.