Carl Altgilbers was born September 29, 1887 and lived in Quincy all his life. He lived at 1320 Oak Street and worked for the Otis Elevator Company prior to joining the Quincy Fire Department. When he became a firefighter, he was assigned badge #30.

On Tuesday, October 17, 1939, at 2:20 in the morning, an alarm came in for a garage fire on Jersey Street. Three garages, located at 1008, 1010 and 1012 Jersey were burned, as were two automobiles and two railroad cars near the Swift and Company Storage Plant on 10^th Street.

Firefighter Altgilbers was the driver of Pumper #1 out of Central Station at 9^th and Vermont. After the fire on Jersey had been extinguished, he drove his pumper back to the fire station and placed clean fire hose on his truck. He then helped the other firefighters change the hose on their pumpers when they returned to the station. When this chore was completed, Firefighter Altgilbers complained of feeling ill. He was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital where it was determined that he’d had a heart attack. He died less than two hours later.

Carl Altgilbers was an 18-year veteran of the fire department. He was 52 years old and was survived by his wife Anna and daughter Joan.