Chicago Fire reveals when Gallo will leave in season 12 (it's soon!)

Chicago Fire season 12 is going to be interesting. The firefighting drama is a well-oiled machine at this point, but there are lots of challenges that the writers and actors have had to contend with in recent months.

For one, season 12 will have less episodes than normal, and for another, the cast will look radically different. Alberto Rosende and Kara Killmer will be leaving at different points during the year, and while the specifics of Killmer's exit have been kept under wraps, Deadline finally confirmed which episode will mark Rosende's final appearance.

Blake Gallo will be leaving Chicago Fire following the S12 premiere

The confirmation came through usual means. The outlet announced that actor Rome Flynn would be joining the Chicago Fire cast in season 12, and based on the description of his character, he's clearly meant to fill the void left by Rosende's Blake Gallo.

In the midst of detailing Flynn's role within the show, however, Deadline revealed that Rosende will be leaving following the season 12 premiere. It's as early as exit as possible, but one that the actor did previously allude to in a social media post.

Related: Which Chicago Fire star has the most Instagram followers?

When Rosende finally opened up about his plans to leave the show on Instagram, he made it clear that he had already completed his scenes for the season:

""Can’t wait to see what else is in store and I wish everyone the best in shooting the rest of the season.""

Given that production had just started on Chicago Fire a few weeks prior, it was Rosende's way of confirming that his character would not be around for very long in season 12. Despite his sudden departure, Rosende admitted that the decision to walk away from the show was a difficult one.

Alberto Rosende confirmed that he's done filming his scenes

“When I decided to end my time with Chicago, it wasn’t easy,” he wrote in the rest of his Instagram post. “The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime, and the story I got to tell was one that made me proud.”

While fans how have an answer as to when Gallo will last be seen, the suddenness of his leaving does raise some additional questions about the circumstances why he's leaving. Does he die in the line of duty? Does he find a firefighting position at a different firehouse?

We've already discussed some of the possibilities, but we are firmly planted on the edge of our seats to determine what happens to the lovable firefighter.