Under Fire (2022) ending explained: Does East Bank station close down?

Under Fire is a Flemish drama series about a close-knit, headstrong crew of firefighters and their daily life and struggles, on top of a sudden change in leadership.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers.

Plot summary

Although they are a close-knit community, the firefighters at the East Bank Station are not without their troubles. Saving lives always comes first for them, even if it means breaking the rules and getting reprimanded for it. 

The station is shaken when its lieutenant, Patrick, abruptly decides to leave the unit in favour of a promotion. In his place, Dominique comes in, who has a history with Orlando, one of the firefighters.

East bank station is in the news almost every day because of some mistake or incident of rule-breaking. There are efforts to save its image but things go wrong at a site. A gas explosion occurs and the East Bank station is blamed for not being able to connect the fire hydrants with the hose correctly, deteriorating the situation.

The commander, Gilbert, tries to do damage control by holding a press conference and blaming groundwater levels for the delay but something does not sit right with Patrick about this. Even though he left, he is still very much attached and in contact with East Bank and its firefighters.

With all this happening, a new recruit, Tom comes in for a job. He has his own story and is hiding something. Nina, another firefighter, is wary of him at first but then they get closer and start dating. With time she notices that something is troubling him. She tries to help him but he shuts her off.

Internal information about East Bank gets leaked to the press and the team suspects Steve as the one behind it, the former assistant who got fired. In reality, Vincent is the one responsible for the leaks.

Patrick is suspicious about the fire hydrants at the gas explosion and asks for Orlando and Vincent’s help to uncover the truth.

He discovers that water pipes were not built around the hydrants and illegal and fraudulent permits were used to make it look like the opposite. Patrick also confronts Gilbert about it with some evidence he has uncovered, but he is suspended for not taking the job seriously and blaming the department. On top of that, the superior team has decided to shut down East Bank and merge it with another station.

Patrick takes Gilbert’s computer and asks Vincent to find some evidence in it. Vincent, now assistant, comes clean to the team about the leaks, and the team is very angry at him and gives him a rough time.

Along with this, Tom’s old friends come to town and it is revealed he used to be addicted to drugs and caused an accident when under influence, causing a girl to lose her vision. His attempt at a new life is hindered when his friends blackmail him to deliver drugs using his firefighter transport. They have his voicemail from the accident.

Nina finds out about all of it and the team helps him deal with those two friends. She also consoles him but advises him to come clean about his past to the girl as well as to the Lieutenant.

Vincent, finds some incriminating evidence and calls Orlando and Patrick to tell them about it but is cut short as he encounters someone drowning. In an attempt to save the person’s life, he loses his own.

Under Fire (2022) ending explained in detail:

What does Vincent find?

Just before his death, Vincent drops in a voicemail to Patrick about the evidence. When Patrick discovers it, he is angry and goes to Gilbert and punches him. As a result, he is arrested the next day.

The documents Vincent finds are altered blueprints and permits approving the building for fake fire hydrants with Gilbert’s signatures, uncovering the corruption within the department.

However, Gilbert and the upper order make Patrick the scapegoat by forging his signatures on those documents and framing him for all of this.

Patrick tells his wife to reach out to Dominique with the evidence.

What happens to East Bank Station?

Dominique is successful in clearing Patrick’s name and exposing Gilbert and as a result, he is fired. She confronts Gilbert for all his wrongdoing.

The fire department ultimately chooses against closing the East Bank station or merging it with another station, mostly out of concern for how the public may react.

Following the events that transpired, the firefighters try to resolve and confront their personal issues as well.

What happens with Tom?

Tom decides to follow up on Nina’s advice and come clean to Jitske, the girl in the accident. He confesses and apologises to her although she feels angry.

He also gives in his resignation to Dominique and she is torn because what he did was a felony. Nina and Dominique both tell him to face his fears and own up rather than run away.

There is a shake-up in the upper order with the firing of Gilbert and there is no one to sign on the resignation, so Dominique rejects his resignation and gives him another chance.


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