A fire broke out shortly after midnight on Saturday in a monumental church next to the Lambertus church on De Hermey in Veghel. Firefighters suspect fireworks may have caused the blaze. The building is completely on fire from top to bottom, the firefighters allow the building to burn in a controlled manner.
Meanwhile, firefighters monitor the area for so-called “flying fire”. Due to the strong wind, a shower of sparks is released which settles in the area, which can ignite new fires.
The building is the congregational chapel behind Lambertus Church. A few years ago, a mosque was located in the building, which has since moved to the Evertsenstraat in Veghel. According to firefighters, a witness saw sparks on the roof, suggesting that fireworks were the cause.
Shepherd removed
The pastor lives in front of the building, he was removed from his home by the firefighters for safety. Firefighters have the building checked and shield the fire as much as possible to prevent it from spreading.
The fire department is present with several units in the area, including tankers, aerial platforms and ladder trucks. They do it at a great height.
The building is located in the center of Veghel, near the Markt. More than a hundred people are in the street to watch. The area around the church building has been cordoned off so that firefighters can do their job.
National Monuments
The church was designed by Pierre Cuypers. The annex building where the fire rages is located behind it and was also designed by Cuypers. Both buildings are national monuments.
Video footage on Twitter shows the building’s tower collapsing.
