Team of firefighters from Belgium spending a week training in Detroit

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Detroit firefighters have a reputation of being as good as they get. And that's why firefighters from a small town in Belgium came all the way to the city to see firsthand how they do it.

"We know that Detroit has a lot of fires. So, there's no better place to learn about firefighting than Detroit", said Marc Opstal from the fire department in Zaventem, Belgium. "We have good prevention. We don't have that much vacant buildings. So, we don't get to see fire that much. And in order to really learn something, this is very good place for us".

The Belgian firefighters arrived in town Sunday to spend the week training with Detroit firefighters, and what they learn here in the city is so valuable that each Belgian firefighter paid their own way to way to get here. They're even using vacation time for the learning experience.

"I picked up some Dutch and French", said Detroit Fire Chief Orlando Gregory who has been an instructor at the Detroit Fire Department's Training Academy since 1999.

But it's not all work and no play for the firefighters from Belgium. They went to Comerica Park Wednesday night to watch the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals.

And, on Friday, firefighters from Detroit and Belgium will visit The Fillmore in Detroit to see the award-winning documentary "Burn". The documentary follows the lives of Detroit firefighters and shows the challenges they face battling blazes, including arsons, in a cash-strapped city.