Building in Amsterdam has to close after finding a hand grenade
A building on the Amstelveenseweg in Amsterdam South was closed by mayor Halsema because a hand grenade was located at the front this week. The building must remain closed for six months.
The hand grenade was fired in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday around 3:30 am found by a passerby. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service (EOD) had to take the explosive with it. According to the municipality, it was ‘clearly placed in front of the property’.
“A hand grenade is a military device and causes life-threatening damage when it goes off,” the municipality writes in the closure order. “The occurrence of a similar weapon in public order is a serious disturbance. In the case of a hand grenade detonating, the probability of fatal injury is very high. In addition, it leads to the case of a hand grenade detonating in the vicinity of this home risks a fire hazard and additional damage to the following homes and businesses.”
Renovate
It is about a building that is empty due to a renovation. Both the property owner and the tenant disagree with the closure. According to the tenant closure, this will lead to bankruptcy, because he is in the middle of a move and will spend a lot of money on staff costs and half the rent. According to him, it is also not certain that the hand grenade was aimed at the building.
However, the council stands by the decision. If the building remains open for the renovation, it would be a ‘serious threat’ to public order. “The police indicate that there is a risk of recurrence, given the previous incidents and are investigating a possible conflict,” the municipality writes. “Less far-reaching measures are not appropriate and will not have the same effect on public order as the closure of the building.”
The detective is still investigating who placed the hand grenade.