London: A major fire broke out in the tower of the historic Vondelpark church in Amsterdam shortly after revellers rang in the new year, with videos on social media showing the spire of the 154-year-old building engulfed in flames.
London’s Telegraph reported the fire, which witnesses said had caused the tower to collapse into the middle of the church, had been declared a regional emergency and streets and several dozen homes surrounding the Vondelkerk had been evacuated.
It quoted a spokesperson for the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region as saying the church “cannot be saved”.
“It’s a very large, historic building. There’s a lot of wood, and the wind also allows the fire to spread easily and widely,” the spokesperson told Dutch news agency ANP.
“The church’s characteristic appearance has been lost. [It’s a] terribly bad and dramatic start to the new year.”
ANP said a police officer at the scene expressed fear that the entire church building could collapse.
A national alert was issued warning locals of heavy smoke.
“This is a very intense and terrible fire in this monumental church,” Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said.
“Our first concern and priority now is the well-being and homes of the immediate residents.”
The Vondelkerk, on the edge of the Vondelpark near the famous Leidseplein district, was built in 1872 in the Neo-Gothic style and served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977. The middle nave of the Vondelkerk is now used for weddings, dinners, receptions, lectures and musical events or other cultural activities.
Media reports noted this was not the first time the church had lost its spire – it was destroyed when a lightning strike caused a fire in 1904 before later being restored.
The cause of the latest fire is not yet known.
More to come
