Video: Amsterdam's Vondelkerk church tower collapses during major fire; Alert for smoke

The church tower engulfed in flames atop the Vondelkerk in Amsterdam completely collapsed on Thursday morning. The incident, which started after midnight, was declared a major fire and a regional emergency. It was continuing unabated as of 2:30 a.m., and and NL-Alert was issued warning people about the heavy smoke.

Parts of the top of the 154-year-old church had already broken off after the fire continued into a second hour. The fire in the church tower caused a "huge shower of sparks" flying eastward, a spokesperson for the Amsterdam-Amstelland Emergency Services Region said.

"This is a very intense and terrible fire in this monumental church," said Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. "Our first concern and priority now is the well-being and homes of the immediate residents."

Surrounding homes were being evacuated. The spokesperson did not know how many homes were affected, and the streets where the evacuations took place. He said the burning embers containing "old wood" were blowing towards the city center.

A reporter noted that all the streets around the church have been closed off. Many people were watching the fire, some of whom were very shocked and emotional. "Keep your distance and allow emergency services to operate freely," stated the NL-Alert issued to people in the area just before 2 a.m.

One reporter saw the fire department ringing the doorbells of houses immediately surrounding the church; several people then came out of their homes. The blaze was already declared a major fire by 1 a.m., considering the spreading flames, and the dense neighborhood.

The alarm was elevated to a Grip 2 regional disaster earlier in the morning. This brought in emergency services personnel from outside of Amsterdam to provide assistance in tackling the fire and preventing its spread. The protocol goes beyond the establishment of a single incident commander, to also activate a Regional Operational Team to provide crisis management for those affected by the incident.

Those in affected areas were told to "Stay out of the smoke. Close windows and doors. Switch ventilation systems off," according to text of the NL-Alert.

The Vondelkerk was built in 1872 and served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977. More recently, the space has been used for special occasions and small businesses, according to the municipality's website.