- Two people — a 17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man — were killed in separate fireworks-related accidents, while three others sustained serious injuries; an eye hospital in Rotterdam reported treating 14 patients, including 10 minors, for eye injuries.
- The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association said revelers spent a record €129 million on fireworks this New Year’s Eve, warning that an impending ban on consumer fireworks may have contributed to a surge in purchases.
A major fire largely destroyed Amsterdam’s historic Vondel Church near one of the city’s most popular parks, erupting just as New Year celebrations were underway, Amsterdam media reported on Thursday.
The blaze caused the collapse of the church’s roof and its approximately 50-metre-high tower, leaving the 154-year-old structure “no longer salvageable,” according to an emergency services spokesperson.
“It is a very intense and terrible fire in this monumental church,” Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said.
The fire was reported shortly after midnight and was swiftly classified as a major incident. Firefighters called in reinforcements from other regions of the Netherlands, while the Dutch navy deployed a 60-metre-high aerial work platform to assist in firefighting efforts, dw.com reports.
Strong winds fanned the flames before crews managed to bring the fire under control on Thursday morning. As a precaution, a large number of nearby apartments were evacuated. No injuries were reported, and authorities said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Speculation has grown that New Year’s Eve fireworks may have played a role, as the blaze broke out minutes after midnight. Although Amsterdam banned the sale of fireworks to the public in 2020, illegal fireworks were widely used across the city.
Vondel Church, a neo-Gothic landmark designed by renowned architect Pierre Cuypers—who also designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station — ceased functioning as a place of worship in 1977 and was later repurposed as an event and concert venue.
The church fire was among several incidents that overshadowed New Year celebrations across the Netherlands.
Two people — a 17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man — were killed in separate fireworks-related accidents, while three others sustained serious injuries.
An eye hospital in Rotterdam reported treating 14 patients, including 10 minors, for eye injuries. The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association said revellers spent a record €129 million on fireworks this New Year’s Eve, warning that an impending ban on consumer fireworks may have contributed to a surge in purchases.
Dutch police also reported an unprecedented level of violence against officers and emergency responders, with attacks involving fireworks, stones and petrol bombs in several cities, including Breda.
