Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s Dutch-language action series ‘Under Fire’ revolves around the lives of firefighters and paramedics of the East Bank fire station, located in the city of Ostend, Belgium. The series explores the challenges firefighters face while attending duty calls and the impact of the same on their personal lives. The firefighters of the station extend their support to one another whenever one of them confronts an obstacle in life. Even when their superiors try to shut down the station, they uplift the fraternity among them for the sake of their station, making one intrigued to know whether the station and the city it is located are real. Well, let us share our findings!
Is East Bank a Real Fire Station?
In the show, East Bank is a fire station, located in the namesake region. Even though the region is real, the station seems to be a fictional fire station conceived for the show. However, the fire station, the firefighters stationed at the same, and their experiences have a universal appeal. The lives and experiences ‘Under Fire’ depicts are relatable to firefighters working all over the world, irrespective of regional or national boundaries, since the show explores their resilience in front of dangers, the emotional impact of their interventions, and the life-threatening situations they walk into.
Even though the station is seemingly fictional, East Bank is an appealing region in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The beaches, dunes, Fort Napoleon, and the lighthouse named Lange Nelle are some of the attractions in the region. The show is also filmed in the region, which increased its authenticity. Since the apparently fictional fire station is located in the city of Ostend, the viewers must be wondering whether the Belgian city is fictional as well. Here’s the answer!
Is Ostend a Real City?
Yes, Ostend is a real city. It is located in the province of West Flanders and East Bank is one of the localities in the city. The seafront of the city makes it an appealing site for tourists. ‘Under Fire’ was produced with the support of the City of Ostend and its film department. The city comes under the jurisdiction of Zone 1 Fire Station, located in Velodroomstraat. The firefighters of the fire station were involved in the production of the show. A boot camp was set up for the firefighters to train the cast of the show.
The boot camp enabled the performers to get into the skin of firefighters, making them empathize with their characters. They were trained with fire equipment for them to use the same authentically while filming the show. The series also succeeds in promoting the enchanting city. Royal Galleries of Ostend, Atlantic Wall Open Air Museum, Oostende railway station, and Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul are some of the attractions in the city. Along with city sites that feature in the show, ‘Under Fire’ also offers a look at the city’s fishing culture through the character Henri Maenhout.
Read More: Under Fire Ending, Explained: Does the East Bank Station Get Shut Down?
