A significant fire tore through one in every of Amsterdam’s best-known historic buildings within the early hours of New Year’s Day, seriously damaging the property and forcing people to go away nearby homes.
The blaze erupted just after midnight on the Vondelkerk, a former church dating back to the late nineteenth century that’s now used as a cultural venue.
Emergency services cleared surrounding homes as flames spread rapidly through the structure, though no injuries were reported.
Local authorities said the fireplace began at around quarter to 1 within the morning, quickly enveloping the roof and the constructing’s neo-Gothic tower, which later collapsed. Powerful winds scattered sparks and charred wreckage into neighbouring streets.
Firefighters worked for several hours to bring the blaze under control.
Structural assessments indicated that while the inside and tower were badly damaged, the outer partitions were expected to stay intact.
The reason for the fireplace has not yet been established.
Although there was online speculation a few link to fireworks being set off across town as a part of New Year’s celebrations, officials have said there is no such thing as a confirmed evidence pointing to this because the cause, The New York Times reports.
An investigation by police and fire services is predicted to take weeks, based on the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region spokesperson Marco de Leeuw.
Mr de Leeuw told the newspaper there have been no indications that anyone was contained in the constructing when the fireplace began.
Based on information published online by local officials, power supplies to nearby homes were temporarily shut off overnight, and a short lived shelter was opened for displaced residents, housing dozens of individuals.
Constructed within the 1870s, the Vondelkerk was originally used for Catholic worship before falling into disrepair within the late twentieth century. It was later restored and reopened as a venue for events and performances.
The constructing was designed by Pierre Cuypers, best known for his work on Amsterdam landmarks including the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station.
According to local preservation group Stadsherstel, this was not the primary time the church has been damaged by fire: its original spire was destroyed in a blaze greater than a century ago, in 1904. Stadsherstel has launched a crowdfunding appeal for its restoration.
This recent incident comes because the Netherlands continues to tighten restrictions on consumer fireworks.
Fireworks are currently prohibited in Amsterdam and a number of other other cities, with a nationwide ban on sales on account of take effect in 2026.
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