Amsterdam's Historic Vondelkerk destroyed in New Year's Fire
The historic Vondelkerk in Amsterdam “cannot be saved,” Amsterdam authorities said Thursday as firefighters continued to battle a fire that erupted shortly after midnight during New Year’s celebrations.
The fire has destryed the 154-year-old church, causing parts of the tower and roof to collapse, forcing evacuations, and cutting electricity to nearby homes.
“The Vondelkerk is no longer salvageable,” said a spokeswoman for the Veiligheidsregio Amsterdam-Amstelland. “The entire church is on fire. The whole church may collapse.”
No injuries have been reported, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Vondelkerk, built in 1872, served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977 and has since been used for events and small businesses.