Amsterdam's iconic church almost destroyed by fire

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The image shows a firefighter's vehicle on the site of a fire that broke at the tower of the Vondelkerk church, during New Year's Eve, Amsterdam, January 1, 2026. /VCG

The iconic Vondelkerk church in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam was almost destroyed by a fire early Thursday morning, the Netherlands' public broadcaster NOS reported.

The flames broke out shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) in the church tower located in Vondelpark, said the report.

No injuries were reported, while dozens of nearby homes were evacuated as winds carried burning debris into surrounding streets. Residents temporarily sheltered in a nearby yoga studio.

Firefighters and emergency crews worked through the night to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to adjacent residential buildings.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

Built in 1872, the Vondelkerk served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977 and has since been used as a venue for events and small businesses.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency

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