Amsterdam’s historic Vondelkerk (church) was destroyed by a fire possibly sparked by fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
According to Euronews, the fire broke out in the church shortly after midnight, indicating that the likely cause was fireworks. The fire quickly spread to the wooden tower of the church, causing the building to collapse.
Firefighters responded to the scene and did their best to contain the fire. Traffic in the area was halted and residents were asked to leave the area, fearing the fire could spread.
Rescuers were unable to save the monument, which then collapsed. Video footage of the aftermath shows the scorched bricks of the historic structure.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, residents were shocked and saddened by the loss of one of the city’s iconic structures.
One resident wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “You can feel the strong heat everywhere. People are in shock. It’s such a beautiful church. Gone.”
The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Vondelkerk was built in 1880 and the building has been out of service since 1997. The former Catholic church was a cultural and event venue after being closed to worship in the 1970s.
