FIRE services could be hit with multimillion-pound bills after injury payments to retired firefighters were miscalculated.

Essex Fire Authority announced yesterday that it would raid its reserves in order to repay a £15 million debt to the government which it had missed.

It is understood that several other fire services were investigating similar underpayments and Essex’s fire chief warned that other authorities may not be in a position to meet the unexpected bill easily.

Firefighters’ union FBU said it was unclear whether any members had been shortchanged.

But Essex FBU chairman Riccardo La Torre said he feared further cuts as a result of the financial fudge. 

“Proposals to cut 179 jobs in Essex Fire and Rescue Authority have already been announced and we fear assurances the union had got from the authority, that there would be no further job losses, will now be under threat,” he said.