Images emerged on Twitter showing the Old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark on fire this morning as local media reports that its charred spire has toppled on to the street below
The spire of the Old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen has toppled as an enormous blaze tears through the historic building this morning.
Police received reports about smoke at the historic Børsen building at around 8am local time (7am GMT). Shocking images shared on social media show the major landmark engulfed in huge plumes of thick, acrid smoke billowing into the air as flames engulf its spire.
Taking to Twitter, Copenhagen Police said: “Due to brand development in Børsen, we are currently extensively present in inner Copenhagen. Traffic towards the city on Knippelsbro is blocked. We expect the area to be cordoned off for a longer period of time. We encourage road users to find alternative routes.”
Copenhagen’s fire brigade said: “We are massively on our way to #slotsholmsgade [the street where Børsen is located] for a report of heavy smoke from the roof….. Updating…….”
Unconfirmed reports say that the famous spire collapsed at around 8.30am local time (7.30am GMT). Politiken journalist Morten Skærbæk said: “The Stock Exchange itself is wrapped in scaffolding, but the tower is sticking up and there is really a lot of fire. It’s like a torch. The scaffolding apparently makes it impossible for the fire brigade to get close to the tower. There is still a firefighter spraying on it, but it seems useless.”
He said people have been seen going in to the building to retrieve paintings. Another Politiken reporter, Lars Dahlager, said: “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.”
The building – which dates back to 1625 making it one of the city’s oldest – is currently undergoing renovations and there has been scaffolding in place on its exterior.
The Stock Exchange is topped with a dragon-tailed spire which, according to legend, is said to guard it against enemy attacks and fire. Before today, there were several instances when the property was spared from fire damage after infernos broke out in nearby buildings, according to Visit Copenhagen.
Neighbouring Christiansborg Palace – which is now the Danish Parliament – has been gutted by flames on several occasions. In 1990, the fire rapidly spread but the Old Stock Exchange managed to escape the flames.
Nowadays, the building is hired out for fancy dinners, conferences, parties and other events. It’s not open to the general public.
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Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
