Any pics?
Think some confusion over terminology.
Some fires have a fixed chairbrick that is not removable so this should be backfilled, filling any voids. Most of fires I come across are fitted with a firebox/chairbrick that is removable for inspection. So the builders opening behind should be completely void of any holes/cracks. I defended BG a few days ago in another post, but I have lost count of the number of BG serviced fires I have attended where upon removal of firebox I found all sorts behind.