Denmark's historic Copenhagen stock market catches fire

Denmark's historic Copenhagen stock market catches fire

The iconic old stock market building located in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark, has caught fire.

Among the city's oldest structures, the 17th-century Børsen shocked witnesses when its recognizable dragon spire toppled in the flames.

After allowing everyone within the building to go, several hurried to save some of the building's iconic artworks.

400 years of Danish cultural legacy, according to Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt, had burned completely.

Erected in the former royal palace of Christiansborg castle, the edifice dates back to 1625 and is located at a short distance from the Folketing, Denmark's parliament. According to Danish media, smoke had forced the closure of Christiansborg's main gate and the evacuation of a neighboring area.

Scattered with scaffolding and covered in protective plastic, the historic stock market was undergoing renovations. Currently residing there is the Danish Chamber of Commerce, which called Tuesday morning's events a horrifying sight.

Henrik Grage, a local tradesman, told Danish TV that the day was awful. "This is our Notre-Dame," he said, drawing parallels between it and the fire that almost precisely five years ago destroyed the cathedral's spire and roof in the heart of Paris.

In April 2019, as Notre-Dame was also covered in scaffolding for major restorations, the Paris fire started under its eaves. Investigators have attributed the incident to either an electrical short circuit or an employee who failed to properly extinguish their cigarette.

Although the reason behind the fire in Copenhagen is now unclear, rescue officials said that the scaffolding posed a challenge to their operations. The structure seems to have suffered significant damage from the fire, which authorities said was most severe near the tower.

While he was on the scaffolding, one of the artisans rebuilding the building's brickwork saw the fire start on the roof. Ole Hansen said that after yelling at his coworkers to descend, he left the door open to allow firefighters entry.

Chief of the fire department Jakob Vedsted Andersen claimed that getting to the region under the ancient copper roof was very hard for firemen.

One spectator told Danish media, "I'm completely speechless - this is an unparalleled tragedy."

The large art collection of the Børsen building was under danger, so members of the public rushed inside the building with emergency services and chamber of commerce director Brian Mikkelsen.

Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister, talked of "terrible images" and of a chapter in Danish history burning to the ground.

Paintings of prominent Danes who have played significant roles since the 17th century filled the ancient stock market, making the fire difficult to witness, according to local museum inspector Benjamin Asmussen, who spoke to Denmark's TV2.

According to the head of the fire brigade, all the valuable items, including paintings, that could be saved had been removed. One of the most valuable pieces that was saved was an 1895 picture by PS Krøyer, which showed fifty Danish businessmen wearing top hats and standing within the structure.

The fire, according to King Frederik X, was a "sad sight" for such a significant piece of Denmark's cultural legacy—the city's distinctive dragon spire had served to distinguish Copenhagen. The 84th birthday celebrations for Queen Margrethe II, which were scheduled for Tuesday, were being canceled due to the fire. She was replaced by him in January.

King Christian IV of Denmark commissioned the construction of the Dutch Renaissance-style edifice on the city's Slotsholmen, or palace island, with the intention of transforming Copenhagen into a significant commercial hub.

Showcasing tight links with neighbouring Sweden and Norway, the renowned tower featured three crowns and four dragons with their tails curled into spears.