Everything was blown up in the Eindhoven district of Tongelre during New Year’s Eve. These include traffic signs, manhole covers and even a power box. The windows at an apartment building on Jan van de Capellelaan were even blown out. According to local residents, the explosions were so loud that it sounded like war. “I always thought fireworks were okay, but something has to be done with these heavy bombs. I’m glad no one was hurt.”
Broken traffic signs, bloated trash cans and shards of glass litter the streets. Next to the apartment building where the windows were blown out, there is a large site from a fireworks bomb. “Around six o’clock last night, heavy fireworks sounded throughout the neighborhood. They could not only be heard, but also felt,” says resident Danny.
Didier also lives in the flat. He called the police after the fireworks bomb went off and the windows blew out. “I was sitting at home and I heard a very loud bang. I didn’t know where it came from. When I went to look, I saw that the windows were broken,” he says. “I called the police, but we couldn’t provide a perpetrator profile so there was no point for them to come.”
According to Didier it happens every year, but this time it was very violent. “I understand that children do something, but these were adults. That bothers me,” he says. “I like fireworks, but not like this. The fact that you can buy those bombs here has nothing to do with fireworks anymore.”
One of the apartment residents was walking through the building when the windows were blown out by the fireworks bomb. The man was hit with glass, but he was not injured. According to his father, he was very lucky.
Further on in the neighborhood, a power box was blown up. Enexis Netbeheer is switching off the power box, because otherwise it could lead to life-threatening situations. “It’s just ridiculous. We live a few meters away and the cupboards inside our house were shaking,” says a man who walks the dog with his wife.
They don’t think the big mess that can still be seen on the streets is normal. “It’s really bad. I just think it’s worthless,” says the man. “And the power box is dangerous. What’s gotten into you?” his wife adds. “There is a ban on fireworks, but people don’t care. You can’t blame everything on the government. If people’s mentality would change, it would make a big difference.”