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Denmark’s historic stock exchange has erupted into flames after a fire broke out during renovations today.
Local media reported a ‘large bang’ before the iconic spire collapsed in Copenhagen, smoke plumes seen billowing high above the city.
A large police and firefighting presence remains on the scene around the Børsen building, where scaffolding is said to have collapsed in the inferno.
‘It’s horrible. It was one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. I pass by here every day It’s Notre Dame all over again,’ one bystander told state broadcaster DR, recounting the horrifying blaze at Paris’ historic cathedral five years ago this month.
Surrounding streets in the Danish capital have been closed off and commuters urged to avoid the inner city as authorities desperately try to tackle the fire.
Crowds gathered in disbelief to look on as the building appeared to collapse in on itself. The Børsen, once the financial heart of Denmark, dates back as far as 1625.
Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Danish Culture Minister, said that 400 years of cultural heritage had gone up in flames as artifacts were hurried out of the fire.
‘This is crazy, I’ve never seen such a big fire in my life. The fire has grown, more and more serious, it seems to be spreading to a larger part of the building,’ a reporter for local outlet Politiken said from the scene.
Emergency services said they had mobilised ‘on a massive scale’ to quell the outbreak.
Brian Mikkelsen, director of Dansk Erhverv, Denmark’s Chamber of Commerce, was seen helping the efforts to salvage artifacts from the fire.
Video from the scene showed firefighters battling to rescue historic paintings from the building.
Pictures from the scene showed a group carrying out the monumental ‘Fra Kjøbenhavns Børs’ painting by PS Krøyer, apparently undamaged by the fire.
Peter Hummelgaard, Justice Minister, applauded the efforts of emergency services in working to ‘save human life and our historical cultural heritage’ in a post on Twitter/X.
There were no reports of injuries. Ambulances attended the scene.
The nearby Christiansborg Palace, now the Danish parliament, was partially evacuated as the fire raged.
‘Suddenly there was an announcement that we had to leave the building,’ local outlet Berlingske reported shortly after 8am BST.
‘It happened quietly, and now we have about a hundred people standing outside.’
Early reports claimed parts of the spire had broken off and fallen onto the street by 7.30am BST (8.30am local time).
The Stock Exchange is a major landmark in the city, identifiable for its twisting 183ft ‘Dragespir’ (Dragon Spire) and three crowns on top, representing the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
The building was undergoing renovations to restore its original façade and correct errors made during an attempt in the 19th century.
During the 1800s, the building was roofed with copper, as much of the original lead lining was scrapped to produce cannon balls during the Swedish occupation, 1658-59.
The building still contains many wooden structures, according to local media.
The tragedy comes five years since Notre Dame erupted in flames in Paris during renovation work, on April 15 and April 16, 2019.
The building – originally built by Christian IV in a bid to strengthen trading on the continent – came to house the Danish stock market in 1974.
The Børsen managed to escape a fire at the neighbouring Christiansborg Palace in 1990.
The Dutch Renaissance style building no longer houses the Danish stock exchange, but serves as headquarters for the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
The Old Stock Exchange is used for conferences and parties, and not open to the public, according to Visit Copenhagen.
The exact cause of the fire outbreak is currently unknown.
