Blake Gallo, Chicago Fire

Another firefighter is leaving the station. Alberto Rosende, who plays rookie firefighter Blake Gallo on the hit NBC series, is exiting the show in Season 12. Why is Alberto Rosende leaving Chicago Fire? Keep reading to find out.

The procedural follows the professional and personal lives of firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics of the Chicago Fire Department’s fictional Firehouse 51. Produced by Dick Wolf, the series is the first installment of the One Chicago franchise and it has spawned various other spin-offs, including Chicago P.D., Chicago Med and the now-canceled Chicago Justice. The show debuted in 2012 and is currently on its 12th season.

Rosende first joined the cast during the second episode of Season 8 as Blake Gallo, a promising but reckless rookie with a tragic past; he lost his parents and little sister to a house fire when he was 12 years old and was saved by Firehouse 131, which inspired him to become a firefighter. He is also known for his on-and-off romance with paramedic Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith). Rosende was initially brought on as a recurring role but was promoted to a series regular later on in Season 8, per Deadline. Aside from Chicago Fire, the actor is most known for his starring role on the Freeform series Shadowhunters as Simon Lewis. He has also appeared in CBS’s Blue Bloods and Law & Order: SVU.

After playing Gallo for four seasons, he announced that Season 12 of Chicago Fire would be his last. Keep reading to find out why Alberto Rosende is leaving Chicago Fire and what will happen to Blake Gallo.

Why is Alberto Rosende leaving Chicago Fire

Blake Gallo

Why is Alberto Rosende leaving Chicago Fire? Deadline reported on Nov. 30, 2023, that the actor is set to exit the One Chicago series following a final appearance in the Season 12 premiere. A few days after the news of his departure broke, Rosende revealed on his Instagram Story that his decision to leave Chicago Fire “wasn’t easy.” He continued, “The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime and story I got to tell was one that made me proud … Can’t wait to see what else is in store and I wish everyone the best in shooting the rest of the season!” Deadline also reported that his exit was “fully amicable.”

As for how Gallo will be written off, fans have been worried about the risk-adverse firefighter and his future at Firehouse 51 since the past season. In the Season 11 episode “Damage Control,” fans saw Gallo nearly die when a building collapsed on him and he was trapped inside. Thankfully, he lived, but fans were concerned he was going to be killed off for a moment there. This was certainly not the first time Gallo found himself in danger — the daredevil rookie is often very impulsive, which frequently gets him in trouble with his superiors. A few episodes prior, he and firefighter Sam Carver (Jake Lockett) clashed over a dangerous move Gallo pulled to get an unconscious man out of a bus and to safety. Gallo may have survived the building collapse in Season 11 and avoided getting suspended, or worse, but could he get killed off in Season 12? Or will his impulsiveness get him fired for good?

Rosende’s departure follows the news that another star, Kara Killmer, will be exiting the series in Season 12. Killmer has played beloved firefighter Sylvia Brett since Season 3 of the show. Although fans are down two firefighters, they will be getting the return of Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide. The actor took a hiatus from the series midway through Season 11 to “deal with a personal matter.” While Kinney was absent, fans were treated to multiple special guest appearances from Severide’s former co-star, Captain Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer), who left the series in Season 10. Spencer will also likely make an appearance at the start of Season 12 as we wait to learn whether Brett accepts his marriage proposal.

For more on who’s left Chicago Fire, check out our gallery of which main cast members have exited the show since Season 1.