Huge fire tears through iconic 154-year-old Amsterdam church

Firefighters battled to save an historic church building in the centre of Amsterdam as flames tore through it in the early hours of New Year’s Day. Footage shows the scale and intensity of the blaze, as fire crews used turntable ladders in attempt to extinguish the blaze from height. The Vondelkerk was consecrated in 1880 before being sold by the diocese in 1977 and converted into a multi-use public building after falling into disrepair. An emergency services spokesperson confirmed the building is “no longer salvageable” following the fire, adding: “the whole church may collapse.” The cause of the fire has not immediately been identified. No injuries were reported.