Denmark’s historic stock exchange burst into flames after a fire broke out during renovations today.
Local media reported a “large explosion” before the iconic spire collapsed in the capital of Copenhagen.
A large police and fire presence remains at the scene around the Børsen building, where scaffolding is said to have collapsed in the inferno.
Surrounding streets have been closed and travelers urged to avoid the city center as authorities desperately try to fight the fire.
Crowds gathered in disbelief to watch as the building, which dates back to 1625, belched plumes of smoke.
Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Danish Culture Minister, said 400 years of cultural heritage had burned as artefacts were rushed out of the fire.
Clouds of smoke and flames rise around the scaffolding of the former Danish Stock Exchange
The iconic spire is seen surrounded by collapsing scaffolding early Tuesday morning.
Smoke envelops the fragile structure of the spire in Copenhagen, Tuesday, April 16.
Locals carry paintings and other objects as a fire burns down the former Stock Exchange (Boersen) in Copenhagen, Denmark, April 16, 2024.
People gather in disbelief as the historic building goes up in flames on April 16.
Smoke could be seen billowing from the inferno from several streets down.
Video from the scene showed firefighters struggling to rescue historic paintings from the building.
‘It is awful. It was one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. I pass by here every day. It’s Notre Dame again,” a passerby told the state broadcaster. D.R..
Brian Mikkelsen, director of Dansk Erhverv, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, was seen helping efforts to rescue artifacts from the fire.
Peter Hummelgaard, Minister of Justice, applauded the efforts of the emergency services to “save human lives and our historical cultural heritage” in a post on Twitter/X.
The Stock Exchange is an important landmark in the city, identifiable by its twisted 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 mistakes made during a 19th-century attempt.
File photo of the historic Borsen building in Copenhagen, Denmark