Man turns himself in over Rotterdam church fire; Police suspect arson
A 36-year-old man from Best in the province of Noord-Brabant turned himself in on Thursday in connection with the large fire that destroyed the Bethelkerk in Rotterdam-Overschie overnight. A spokesperson for the Rotterdam police told NL Times that there may be a suspicion of arson, and the police are investigating.
The fire broke out in the hall of the church around 10:45 p.m. on Wednesday night. It rapidly spread, leading to the evacuation of surrounding homes as a precaution. No one was hurt, and the residents of these homes have since been able to return.
“It's very surreal to see this happen. We were there last night, witnessing the burning down of a community center with a history of sixty years for a number of people here,” said pastor Joop van 't Hof of the Dutch Reformed Church to Rijmond on Thursday.
He declined to speculate on the cause of the fire or potential arson, leaving that to the police. "We were especially happy that there were no more people inside. That was our first concern,” he said.
The church was built in 1923, with interior surface space measuring at 699 square meters. It is located on a 1,090-square-meter plot, according to land registry data.
The Dutch Reformed Church community-based at the church is made up of about 300 members, according to the Bethelkerk’s website. Members are mainly located in the Overschie neighborhood but also reside in other places within the greater Rotterdam area.
