Residents of at least 55 homes in Amsterdam’s Nieuw-West district cannot yet return home after a major parking garage fire, as deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki warns that a recent wave of explosions and other violence in the area could claim innocent lives. Police have arrested a 26-year-old Amsterdam man on suspicion of arson in connection with the fire, although investigators have not established whether it is linked to the wider violence.
The fire broke out at around 2:45 a.m. in an underground parking garage beneath an apartment building on Theodoor van Hoytemastraat in Nieuw-West. Firefighters quickly escalated their response to the major incident. The fire was under control by approximately 5:15 a.m. A firefighting robot was used to help extinguish the blaze.
At least 55 homes above the garage were evacuated because of heavy smoke. One person went to hospital independently after inhaling smoke, according to the police report. The police said no other injuries had been reported. Residents were taken to a nearby hotel.
The damage means residents will be unable to return immediately, even though the fire is under control. The building’s structure was damaged and has been deemed unsafe to live in, although authorities say it is not at risk of collapse, NH Nieuws reported.
“The building is not in immediate danger of collapsing, but it is too unsafe for residents to live there at the moment. Some are returning to collect their belongings, but then have to go back to another place to stay,” a fire department spokesperson said to Het Parool. It remains unclear whether residents will be able to return after the weekend. “We have to wait for the repair work to be completed.”
Residents have been allowed to collect personal belongings, while longer-term accommodation is being arranged. The fire also damaged the building’s electricity and sewage systems, and the electricity supply was disconnected as a precaution.
A resident of the building said her son had been hospitalized after suffering severe symptoms from carbon monoxide exposure. “He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t walk, and nearly lost consciousness. They eventually found carbon monoxide in his blood,” she said. “Fortunately, he is doing well now.”
The garage fire is unfolding amid a separate series of explosions and other violent incidents in the Amsterdam district. On Friday, the municipality announced additional camera surveillance at five locations after incidents in Osdorp and Slotermeer.
Deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki warned that the escalating violence could kill people who have nothing to do with the suspected disputes. “This must stop, because there will be fatalities. Innocent people. And you don’t want that,” he told AT5. He said it was particularly painful that “people who simply want to enjoy their neighborhood are getting caught up in these kinds of feuds.”
Police are investigating whether some of the recent incidents are connected to a possible conflict between two groups of young people, one from Osdorp and another from Slotermeer. Reports have associated the Slotermeer group with the initials BVL and the Osdorp group with OSD, but police have not established that these groups are responsible for the incidents or that every attack is connected.
One of the most striking incidents occurred at the Botteskerksingel in Osdorp, where an explosion severely damaged an apartment building’s entrance. The entrance was left badly damaged, and the facade was blackened. The letters “BVL” were reportedly spray-painted on the wall. Police have also investigated multiple explosions at the same building, including incidents in September and October.
Other incidents have added to concerns in the district. In September, police found an improvised explosive in the Wildemanbuurt and arrested an 18-year-old suspect. Police said they were investigating the possible connection with earlier explosions and did not rule out further arrests.
