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International
Foto: Koen van Weel / AFP / Profimedia
On New Year's Eve, the Vondel Church in Amsterdam was engulfed in a devastating fire, which led to the collapse of the 50-meter tower of the historic building. Firefighters, supported by the Dutch navy, tried to control the flames, but they spread rapidly, and by the morning of January 1, the church was considered irretrievable. Due to the strong winds, authorities evacuated nearby residents, providing them with temporary shelters. The Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, described the fire as "very serious and terrible."
The origin of the fire is unknown.