Funeral for fallen Chicago firefighter Michael Altman postponed after widow goes into labor

The funeral for fallen Chicago firefighter Michael Altman has been postponed. 

The City of Chicago confirmed Altman's widow went into labor. The Chicago Fire Department said she gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Evelyn Rose.

The visitation scheduled for Thursday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 3 p.m. will continue as scheduled. The funeral originally set for Friday will be rescheduled. 

Loved ones and colleagues gathered outside the chapel for his vistation Thursday, joined by CFD Chaplain Fr. Ryan Brady, who said he's been giving words of comfort to his colleagues since his death.

"I try to remind them always that they're doing God's work and God appreciates and loves the work that they do for their brothers and sisters in the city. It's extraordinarily selfless and heroic what they do day in and day out and it's also extraordinarily dangerous was we saw in this latest instance of tragedy for the Chicago fire department and for the Altman family," Brady said.

Altman died from injuries fighting a blaze in the city's Rogers Park neighborhood. He fell from the first floor to the basement while battling a blaze in a four-story apartment building at 1757 W. North Shore Ave. 

Sheaves Slate, 27, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated arson and residential arson in Altman's death. He had a history of squatting in the building, threatening residents, and acting erratically, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

Prosecutors say when the first floor of the buidling collapsed as firefighters battled the blaze, Altman fell into the fire and was engulfed in flames in the basement. 

Slate is due back in court on the murder charges on April 8.

Altman was a fourth-generation member of the Chicago Fire Department.