Halle (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 2 urologists at AZ Sint-Maria Halle were summarily dismissed after allegedly ignoring evacuation orders during a June 20, 2025, chemical spill. Lawyer Benjamin Herman challenges the firing; court hearing set Tuesday Sep 2, 2025.
As HLN News reported, 2 urologists at AZ Sint-Maria hospital in Halle have been fired after ignoring safety orders during an incident at the hospital’s day clinic on June 20th, 2025. The hospital’s governing council reviewed the situation. On June 25th, the council decided to dismiss both urologists, saying the breach was severe and left no other option.
Marlain emphasized that doctors must always prevent danger to patients and colleagues. Despite their departure, the hospital assured that urology care continues without interruption. AZ Sint-Maria worked with partner hospitals in Aalst and Brussels to maintain services. A new urologist will start on Monday, Sep 1, 2025, and another will join in October 2025.
“After 27 and 16 years of service, without ever receiving a negative evaluation, they were summarily dismissed. They weren’t even given the chance to give their version of events.”
– Benjamin Herman, lawyer for the dismissed urologists
What happened after 2 urologists were fired at Halle’s AZ Sint-Maria?
The 2 urologists’s lawyer, Benjamin Herman, called the official story “hallucinatory” and pointed out mistakes made by the hospital itself. He said the doctors, who had worked at the hospital for 27 and 16 years without any negative evaluations, were fired without ever being heard by the governing council.
“They were never given the chance to explain their side of the story. That is a clear violation of their rights,”
Herman said.
He also criticized the hospital’s emergency procedures, noting that the alarm codes which are the official means of triggering an evacuation of the area were never issued. He also said that if the product had been transported safely then the chemical spill would never have happened.
“My clients did indeed follow the evacuation order. They were notified by phone by an employee who relayed instructions from the Flemish Brabant West fire department. That was once, not five times as the hospital claims. After that, they left the building,”
says Herman.
The urologists are now taking their case to the Brussels court. The case will be heard in summary proceedings on Tuesday, Sep 2, 2025. The court will decide whether the doctors can return to work temporarily at AZ Sint-Maria while the case is being reviewed.
Herman said his clients are determined to protect their professional reputation and legal rights. He also highlighted broader concerns about how hospitals enforce safety measures and discipline staff.
“We are requesting that the decision be suspended so they can return to work at the hospital,”
says their lawyer.
The incident at AZ Sint-Maria hospital in Halle happened on June 20, 2025, in the day clinic when a cleaning staff member accidentally spilled a chemical cleaning product. The spill created a dangerous situation, and the fire department was called to the scene. A partial evacuation of the hospital was ordered to protect patients and staff. Several hospital employees were assigned to inform all staff in the affected area.
According to reports, the 2 urologists involved ignored repeated warnings and continued treating patients, holding consultations, and even starting new treatments while the rest of the hospital was evacuated. General Manager Nick Marlain said 5 staff members personally told the urologists to evacuate.
