The Fire Department cut staffing at 49 engine companies yesterday when the firefighter absentee rate jumped too high.

Under its contract with the firefighters union, the city has the right to reduce manning from five to four firefighters at 49 of the 194 engine companies when sickouts exceed 7.5 percent.

That happened Sunday, when the rate reached 7.52 percent.

It was the fourth time in seven years that the city made the reductions, sending the extra firefighters to different assignments around the city.

A union spokesman accused the FDNY of manipulating data.