Court documents reveal new details in apartment blaze that killed Chicago firefighter Michael Altman
Tribute for fallen Chicago firefighter Michael Altman
A gathering honored the Chicago firefighter who died last week while battling an apartment blaze in Rogers Park.
CHICAGO - A Chicago man accused of starting a blaze that killed firefighter Michael Altman set a mattress on fire in a basement boiler room and left without warning anyone, according to newly released court documents.
Sheaves Slate, 27, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated arson and residential arson in connection with the March 16 fire at a three-story apartment building in the 1700 block of West North Shore Avenue in Rogers Park.
Sheaves Slate | CPD
The backstory:
Court documents show Slate previously lived in a third-floor apartment but had moved out about nine months earlier. Despite that, prosecutors say he continued coming back to the building in the months leading up to the fire.
Two weeks before the fire, on March 2, a tenant who lived in the basement complained that Slate was inside the maintenance and boiler room area. When the property manager arrived, she found him in the laundry room and told him he was trespassing and had to leave.
On March 15 — the day before the fire — multiple tenants reported seeing Slate again in the basement laundry area. Surveillance video from a nearby building also captured him there late that morning.
That night, prosecutors say Slate returned and went to the third floor carrying bags. He knocked on the door of his former apartment and demanded to speak with a tenant he knew. When another tenant answered and refused, prosecutors say Slate became angry.
A neighbor reported hearing the confrontation and told investigators Slate threatened the tenants, saying they "are going to pay." One of the tenants briefly called 911 because of the disturbance but canceled after believing he had left.
Video footage shows Slate did not leave for good. Prosecutors say he went back upstairs shortly after 11 p.m. and stayed inside the building into the early morning hours of March 16.
Tenants reported seeing him sleeping in the hallway outside the apartment. Around 4 a.m., one of them told him to leave, and video shows him walking out of the building.
Court documents say Slate returned again shortly after, this time entering through a broken basement window.
Prosecutors say he went back into the maintenance and boiler room and stayed there for several hours.
While inside, Slate allegedly used a lighter to set a mattress on fire. He later told investigators he did this because he was depressed and suicidal due to his poor relationships with his friends — the tenants — and wanted to die.
When the fire grew out of control, prosecutors say he placed a door in front of the room, which investigators believe helped conceal the smoke and flames.
He then left the building without calling 911 or warning anyone inside.
Video shows him walking through an alley around 11:20 a.m. and heading toward a bus stop. Minutes later, smoke began to spread through the building, and residents started calling 911.
Fire crews responded around 11:30 a.m., including firefighter Michael Altman, 32, assigned to Truck 47.
According to prosecutors, firefighters in the basement had to move the door that had been placed in front of the room. When they did, the fire caused the ceiling — which was also the first-floor structure — to collapse.
Altman, who was on the first floor, fell into the basement and was exposed to the flames. He suffered burns to 90% of his body and died the next day at Stroger Hospital.
After leaving the building, prosecutors say Slate boarded a bus, then a Red Line train, and went to the Harold Washington Library, where he changed clothes and dyed his hair.
He checked himself into a hospital the following day for suicidal thoughts and was later arrested there.
Dig deeper:
Court records also show Slate had prior arrests in 2025 and 2026 involving retail theft and drug possession, and he had an active warrant at the time of the fire.
He also told investigators about two previous fires involving tents where he had been staying, which he described as accidental.
What they're saying:
Altman was a husband, father, and the son of a firefighting legacy.
"Mike always wanted to be a firefighter," said Steven Murguia, a friend.
Chelsea Echevarria, another friend, added, "I want everyone to know how much Michael is loved and how much he impacted us. He was a great kid. He was a great friend, a great dad, a great brother. So I feel like everyone should know who Michael was and why we're all here rallying for him and his family."
Michael Altman | CFD
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling also released a statement once charges were filed.
"On behalf of the Chicago Police Department, our deepest condolences are with the family of Firefighter/EMT Michael Altman and the entire Chicago Fire Department. The loss of Firefighter Altman, who was a hero until the very end, is a profound loss for those who knew him and our entire city," Snelling said.
What's next:
On Monday, a judge ordered Slate to remain in custody.
"We are all grieving the tragic loss of Michael Altman — a young father and dedicated firefighter who followed in his family’s footsteps to serve and protect others. His death is a profound loss for the Chicago Fire Department, his family and loved ones, and communities across Cook County. My thoughts are with all who are mourning during this incredibly difficult time," Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke said in a statement.
Funeral services for Altman are scheduled for later this week.
- Visitation: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 26 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel
- Funeral: 10 a.m. Friday, March 27 at the same location
The Source: The information in this story came from Cook County court documents, Chicago police, and previous FOX Chicago reporting.