A historic church in Amsterdam was devastated by fire in the early hours of New Year’s Day as the Netherlands endured a turbulent New Year’s Eve marked by widespread disorder linked to fireworks.
The Vondelkerk, a nineteenth century former Catholic church overlooking the capital’s Vondelpark, was engulfed by flames shortly after midnight on 1 January. Emergency services were called as the blaze intensified, with firefighters quickly declaring a major incident. By the early morning, the church’s roof and its nearly 50 metre high tower had collapsed, and local authorities confirmed that the building could not be saved.
