Overview
- Emergency services received the first calls around 12:45 a.m. local time as flames engulfed the Vondelkerk spire and parts of the roof gave way beside Vondelpark.
- Officials on scene warned the entire structure was at risk of collapsing and said the building could not be saved.
- By about 2:30 a.m., the fire was still burning, declared a major incident and regional emergency with heavy smoke warnings and embers drifting toward the city centre.
- A separate large blaze at a fireworks sales point in Hillegom prompted an NL-Alert to residents.
- Another NL-Alert was issued in Bedum, Groningen, after a gymnasium fire released asbestos, keeping responders on high alert across multiple scenes.