€16 million in damages around New Year's; Less in cities that banned fireworks
Private individuals suffered around 16 million euros in damages around New Year’s, according to an initial estimate by the Dutch Association of Insurers’ data analytics center. The figures show that municipalities that banned fireworks reported less damage to homes than in previous years, while this remained the same in other municipalities. There was more damage to cars than in previous years, but the increase was smaller in cities with firework bans, NOS reports.
The insurers will publish the final amount of damages later this year when all claims have been filed. The figure does not include medical costs and damage to companies, schools, and public property. So the total amount of damages is considerably higher.
Nineteen Dutch municipalities completely banned fireworks over the past New Year’s. About 100 others implemented fireworks-free zones where people weren’t allowed to set off fireworks.
Shortly after New Year’s Eve, the director of VeiligheidNL said that the fireworks bans had not helped. “In the Amsterdam region, the number of victims in the emergency room remained the same and in the Rotterdam region, it even increased,” he said, according to the broadcaster.
The Salvage Foundation, which provides first aid for damage to buildings, was called out 112 times during the past New Year’s celebrations, compared to 88 times the year before. It also received more fireworks-related reports, 51 compared to 32.
