Brussels Firefighters Warn They Can’t Hold On Much Longer
Brussels firefighters have issued a desperate warning that they are reaching their breaking point after a summer marked by deadly incidents, chronic understaffing, and an unprecedented strike. With morale at its lowest in years, union representatives say the structural problems facing the Siamu emergency service can no longer be ignored.
“We have an extreme mental and physical burden. We won’t hold on much longer,” said Bruno Ferrari, a Brussels firefighter for 26 years and SLFP union delegate, in an interview with RTBF.
A Summer of Tragedy
The summer of 2026 has been exceptionally difficult for Brussels emergency services. On July 14, six workers died trapped in an elevator during the OXY tower fire at Place De Brouckere. Then on August 14, Sergent-Major Olivier Francotte of the 21st company was killed during a gas explosion at the Treurenberg building near Gare Centrale, while responding to a gas leak alongside Sibelga workers. Two other firefighters and two Sibelga employees were seriously injured in the blast, according to BruxellesToday.
King Philippe personally contacted the chief of corps of the Brussels firefighters to express his condolences following Francotte’s death. “He expressed his deep respect for our colleagues who carry out risky missions to rescue the population,” said Tanguy du Bus de Warnaffe, chief of corps, as reported by RTBF.
Years of Underfunding
The tragedy of this summer is rooted in a structural crisis that has been building for years. The Siamu (Service d’incendie et d’aide médicale urgente de Bruxelles) has faced chronic underfunding and staff shortages, with unions estimating a shortfall of approximately 200 firefighters. According to BX1, a May 2026 reorganization proposal from Siamu management would have reduced daily guard staff from 173 to 153 firefighters, eliminating a ladder truck and an autopump in Anderlecht — a move unions argued would directly weaken the public emergency service.
“There’s a form of despair in the profession because of the accumulation,” said Pierre Adams, a firefighter and CGSP union delegate. “Because of this, firefighters even went on strike. You should know it’s very hard for a firefighter, because he knows his absence can have a huge impact.”
The July Strike and Government Response
On July 21, Brussels firefighters launched an unprecedented indefinite strike on Belgian National Day. Firefighters are historically reluctant to strike, knowing their absence can have enormous consequences. Yet by the third day, only 38 of the normal 172 firefighters on duty reported for work, leaving several fire stations empty, as RTBF reported.
“We never imagined a mobilization of this scale,” Adams said. “Among the strikers, there are even firefighters that authorities tried in vain to requisition. It’s unprecedented.”
The strike forced an emergency Council of Ministers on July 23, leading to an agreement that included 132 new recruitments by the end of 2027 and a 10 million euro envelope to strengthen the service. The general assembly of firefighter personnel unanimously voted to suspend the strike on July 27, but the strike notice remains in effect — with unions threatening to resume actions if commitments are not met by the end of September, according to RTBF.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dillies defended the government’s response. “The difficulties expressed in recent days were real and deserved to be heard,” he said, as reported by L’Avenir. “We can now look to the future and focus on the essential: sustainably strengthening the Siamu, improving staff working conditions and guaranteeing the safety of the people of Brussels.”
A Broader Crisis of Preparedness
The firefighters’ alarm comes against a backdrop of broader concerns about Belgium’s emergency preparedness. A major forest fire in the Hautes Fagnes region has been burning since August 14, and a press review published Tuesday notes a “deafening silence” from politicians regarding climate resilience and emergency preparedness. Belgian newspapers have drawn parallels between the current crisis and the Dutroux affair, noting that while that trauma led to deep reforms, the climate crisis lacks a single identifiable culprit, making political action more difficult.
What’s Next
Unions are watching closely to see whether the government’s promised recruitments materialize. With the strike notice still in effect and a September deadline looming, the coming weeks will be critical. As Frederic Leroy, SLFP permanent delegate, put it: “The firefighter is not doing well. Politicians must realize this.”
The question now is whether the promises made in the heat of the July crisis will translate into lasting structural change — or whether Brussels firefighters will be forced to make good on their warning that they simply can’t hold on much longer.