A fire broke out in a nearly 150-year-old church in Amsterdam shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, leading to the collapse of its tower. The church, built in 1872, caught fire just after midnight.
According to media reports, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema described the incident as “severe and devastating,” emphasizing that the authorities’ top priority was ensuring the safety of residents in nearby homes, who were evacuated.
Emergency services reported that embers were blown toward the city center.
The church was designed by renowned architect Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. It served as a Catholic church for over a century before being repurposed as an event venue. It is located on the edge of Vondelpark, the city’s largest public park.
Authorities issued an urgent warning through the Netherlands’ public alert system, urging residents to “stay away from the area due to heavy smoke” and advising them to “close windows and doors and turn off ventilation systems.” Nearby homes were also evacuated as a precaution.