BRUSSELS

Two people were killed and several others seriously injured across the Netherlands due to fireworks accidents, Dutch media reported on Thursday.

A 16-year-old died in a fireworks accident in the eastern city of Nijmegen, near the German border, around midnight on Wednesday. Authorities have arrested one person in connection with the incident, daily Algemeen Dagblad reported

Police said they are investigating "whether others played a culpable role" but gave no further details. Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of the events.

Dozens of other people were reported injured in fireworks-related accidents across the country during New Year’s celebrations, some seriously.

In the city of Aalsmeer, just southwest of Amsterdam, a 38-year-old man died in a fireworks accident around 2.15 am local time (0115GMT) on Wednesday. Authorities have cordoned off the area, and forensic investigators are examining the circumstances of the incident.

Police urged the public to handle fireworks with caution as investigations continue.

Separately, a massive fire broke out at the Vondelkerk Church in Amsterdam early Thursday, daily De Telegraaf reported.

The blaze, reported around 2.30 am local time (0130GMT), was brought under control by 11 am (1000GMT) despite strong winds and the large size of the building, a fire department spokeswoman said. No casualties were reported.

The church’s tower, part of the central section, and a large portion of the roof collapsed. A structural engineer reported that the building is not at risk of further collapse.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and all homes surrounding the church were evacuated.