Amsterdam's New Year celebrations descended into chaos after a massive fire engulfed the historic Vondelkerk (Vondel Church) in the early hours of Thursday, prompting large-scale evacuations and emergency alerts across the city.
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Emergency services received the first distress calls around 12.45 am, less than an hour after revellers welcomed in 2026. By the time firefighters and police arrived, flames had already spread rapidly through the church tower, sending thick plumes of smoke into the night sky near Vondelpark.
The blaze was swiftly declared a major fire, with authorities warning that the entire structure was at risk of collapse. Within hours, the church tower-part of the 154-year-old monument-collapsed completely as firefighters struggled to contain the inferno.
Parts of the roof and upper sections of the church also broke away as the fire raged into its second hour.
According to the Amsterdam-Amstelland Emergency Services Region, the fire caused a "huge shower of sparks," with burning embers of old wood blown eastward towards the city centre.
An NL-Alert was issued shortly before 2 am, urging residents to stay indoors, shut windows and doors, and switch off ventilation systems due to heavy smoke.
Surrounding homes were evacuated as a precaution, with firefighters seen ringing doorbells and guiding residents to safety. Streets around the church were sealed off as shocked onlookers gathered at a distance, watching flames consume the landmark.
"This is a very intense and terrible fire in this monumental church," Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said, adding that the safety of nearby residents remained the top priority.
As the situation escalated, authorities raised the alarm to a Grip 2 regional disaster, bringing in emergency personnel from outside Amsterdam and activating a Regional Operational Team to manage the crisis.
The Vondelkerk, built in 1872, served as a Roman Catholic church until 1977 and has since hosted events and small businesses. The cause of the fire remains under investigation as emergency responders continue operations amid the devastation.