Historic Amsterdam church destroyed in New Year’s Eve fire

Amsterdam’s historic Vondelkerk (church) was destroyed by a fire likely triggered by fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

According to Euronews, the fire broke out at the church just after midnight, indicating that the likely cause was fireworks. The fire quickly spread through the church’s wooden tower, causing the building to collapse.

Firefighters responded to the scene and tried their best to contain the blaze. Traffic in the surrounding area was halted and residents were asked to leave amid worries that the fire might spread.

Emergency responders were unable to save the landmark, which later collapsed. Video footage of the aftermath shows the scorched bricks of the historic structure.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, locals were shocked and saddened at losing 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 events venue after closing for worship in the 1970s.