A spire on one in every of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings collapsed in flames in what Denmark has described as its “Notre Dame second”.
The roof of the Seventeenth-century inventory alternate, or Boersen, which was as soon as the nation’s monetary centre, was engulfed in flames earlier than collapsing on Tuesday.
The constructing, which is located subsequent to the Christiansborg Palace the place the parliament sits, is a well-liked vacationer attraction with its distinctive spire, within the form of the tails of 4 dragons entwined collectively, reaching a top of 56 metres.
Danish ministers in contrast the incident to the 2019 blaze that consumed the Parisian cathedral.
Enormous billows of smoke rose over downtown Copenhagen and other people have been seen speeding contained in the constructing to save lots of work. Danish media reported that an annexe of the parliament was being evacuated.
Police and firefighters have been at work exterior the constructing, which was encased in scaffolding. Ambulances have been on the scene however there have been no studies of casualties.
Danish tradition minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt mentioned it was “touching” to see how passers-by helped emergency companies “to save lots of artwork treasures and iconic pictures from the burning constructing”.
A video confirmed the flaming spire breaking in half because it tumbled down, sending a big half crashing to the bottom subsequent to a fireplace truck.
The Danish Chamber of Commerce has its headquarters within the constructing, which was constructed within the early 1600s. The chamber’s head, Brian Mikkelsen, was amongst these serving to to hold work out of the constructing.
“All people is crying on the Danish Chamber of Commerce proper now. It’s their office, but additionally their historical past,” Mikkelsen informed reporters, shaking his head in disbelief.
“It’s our cultural heritage that I’m . It’s 400 years which have formed Danish cultural historical past and the society we stay in at this time.”
As sirens wailed, thick gray smoke rose above the town. Round 90 conscripts from the Royal Life Guards, a military unit, have been serving to cordon off and safe valuables, the army mentioned.
The constructing was initially constructed to accommodate stalls the place items similar to tea and spices have been traded.
“It was imagined that a variety of gold can be generated for Denmark and that’s why they put dragons above it as a result of they’re recognized to protect gold,” mentioned the senior researcher on the Nationwide Museum of Denmark, Ulla Kjaer.
The spire additionally had three crowns on the prime, symbolising the nice kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, she added.
“This spire is totally iconic and there’s no different prefer it on this planet,” Kjaer mentioned.
“An vital a part of our architectural heritage was and nonetheless is in flames,” King Frederik wrote in a put up on Instagram.
“For generations, the attribute dragon spire has helped to characterise Copenhagen because the ‘metropolis of towers’.”
Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen wrote on X/Twitter: “Horrible photos from the Bourse. So unhappy. An iconic constructing meaning lots to all of us … Our personal Notre-Dame second.”
The reason for the hearth first reported at 7.30am was not instantly recognized.
“The extinguishing work may be very troublesome,” mentioned firefighters’ spokesperson Jakob Vedsted Andersen, including that there are components of the constructing that the firefighters can’t enter as a result of it’s too harmful.
