A huge inferno gutted a 19th-century Amsterdam church on Thursday as the Netherlands faced a turbulent New Year’s Eve marked by two deaths from fireworks and widespread attacks on police.
The fire erupted in the early hours at the Vondelkerk, a tourist attraction that has stood near one of Amsterdam’s most popular parks since 1872. Flames caused the 50-metre-high (164-foot) tower to collapse, and the roof sustained extensive damage. Authorities, however, said the main structure was expected to remain intact. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.
As global wealth mobility accelerates, the UAE — the undisputed magnet for migrating Indian millionaires — is set to further strengthen its position in 2026, according to wealth management experts.
The unrest in the Netherlands was not limited to Amsterdam. Nine Kooiman, head of the Dutch Police Union, described an “unprecedented amount of violence against police and emergency services.” She said she had personally been hit three times by fireworks and other explosives while on duty.
Shortly after midnight, authorities issued a rare nationwide alert on mobile phones, urging citizens not to call emergency services unless lives were at risk due to overwhelming demand. Reports of assaults against police and firefighters were widespread. In Breda, a city in the south, officers were targeted with petrol bombs.
Two people died in fireworks-related accidents: a 17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man. Three others were seriously injured. The eye hospital in Rotterdam treated 14 patients for injuries, including ten minors, with two requiring surgery.
The intensity of the celebrations is partly attributed to a surge in fireworks purchases ahead of an expected ban on unofficial fireworks next year. The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association reported record spending of 129 million euros ($151 million) on fireworks for the holiday. Authorities had designated some areas as firework-free zones, but compliance appeared limited. An AFP journalist in such a zone in The Hague reported continuous loud bangs until around 3 a.m.
Officials are now assessing the full damage to the Vondelkerk and the wider impact of the violent celebrations. Emergency services warned that public safety risks were heightened during the final hours of 2025 and urged residents to exercise caution as clean-up and recovery efforts continue.
The Netherlands’ New Year’s Eve festivities, traditionally a time of celebration, were overshadowed by destruction and injuries, leaving authorities and citizens alike grappling with the consequences of widespread lawlessness and record-breaking fireworks use.
