Major fires engulf Amsterdam's Vondelpark church, Hillegom fireworks shop, Groningen gym
Firefighters and police raced to the scene of a major fire in a church in Amsterdam less than an hour after revellers ushered in the turn of the New Year, with authorities at the scene concerned the entire building could collapse. A massive fire was also raging in a fireworks sales point in Hillegom, as New Year's celebrations turned into emergencies in many parts of the Netherlands. An NL-Alert was issued there, as well as in Bedum, Groningen, where asbestos was released into the air after a gymnasium was engulfed in flames.
Fire swept through the Vondelkerk, a church alongside Amsterdam's Vondelpark, with calls to emergency services first made at about 12:45 a.m. on Thursday. Flames could be seen engulfing the church spire, and witnesses at the scene said the roof partially collapsed, according to ANP. The news outlet said a police officer at the scene expressed fear that the entire church building could collapse.
Neighboring homes were evacuated as burning embers began to rain down from the fire. Authorities raised the alarm to a major fire and Grip 1 regional emergency at 1 a.m., and a Grip 2 regional emergency by 1:25 a.m. While a Grip 1 is a protocol requiring responding personnel to report to a single incident commander, a Grip 2 is declared when the situation is more serious.
It calls for the formation of a Regional Operations Team to help coordinate a disaster response and crisis management services. All streets around the church were closed off, as crowds gathered outside to watch the situation unfold.
Meanwhile, a fire was raging at a fireworks sales point in Hillegom, Zuid-Holland. A mattress store was also on fire, according to the Hollands Midden emergency services office. The fire was spreading, meaning the flames were more visible to people gathered outside.
A spokesperson for the regional office said the shop is located in the middle of a residential area. "According to our information, fireworks are being sold there," he said.
He strongly urged people to keep their distance and to respect barriers and cordoned off areas. He does not know whether any homes will be evacuated, nor how many homes may be affected
"It's all still difficult to tell." It's also unknown whether anyone was injured or if there are any unsold or uncollected fireworks.
The first reports of the fire reached the fire department around 11:45 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The emergency was quickly escalated to a major fire, the highest alarm level. This is done for complex fires that require extensive personnel and equipment. Emergency services from surrounding regions were also called in.
Additionally, a sports hall was on fire in Bedum, Groningen. An NL-Alert was released in the region as asbestos was likely released in the blaze. Smoke from the fire was also drifting over a residential area, prompting the alarm.
The sports hall on Schoolstraat was completely engulfed in flames and was expected to be a total loss. The emergency services office said that the fire cannot spread to other buildings.
A specialized company will be brought in to map out the exact location of the asbestos particles. There were no immediate injuries reported.
