The previous inventory alternate constructing in downtown Copenhagen — one of many metropolis’s oldest buildings, recognized for its elaborate spire of intertwined dragon tails — partly collapsed in a big fireplace early Tuesday.
It was not instantly clear what triggered the fireplace, however photographs and video from social media confirmed flames on the construction’s roof and darkish clouds of smoke lingering over the town.
“It’s completely dreadful to see Borsen in flames,” Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Denmark’s tradition minister, mentioned in an interview early Tuesday, utilizing the Danish identify for the constructing. “The constructing represents over 400 years of Danish historical past. It’s one of many final buildings on this planet in Dutch Renaissance fashion, the place commerce has been carried out all through your complete interval.”
The police in Copenhagen mentioned on social media that that they had evacuated a number of surrounding buildings, and urged folks to keep away from the realm.
A neighborhood emergency response company additionally urged folks to maintain their distance from the fireplace and to hunt medical consideration in the event that they expertise respiratory difficulties from the smoke.
The previous inventory alternate constructing, a Seventeenth-century construction that was as soon as the monetary middle of Denmark, additionally housed a number of historic work and different artifacts. Metropolis officers rushed the valued items out of the constructing after the fireplace broke out. On the time of the fireplace, the constructing was occupied by Dansk Erhverv, a enterprise group.
One of many bigger works carried to security was Peder Severin Kroyer’s “From Copenhagen Inventory Trade,” in response to an area information outlet. The work, which was painted in 1895 and depicts a number of key Danish monetary figures, is greater than 13 ft lengthy. It took six folks to take away it to security.
Mr. Engel-Schmidt mentioned the previous inventory alternate’s artworks “inform us one thing about ourselves as a nation and as a folks.” He added that the constructing had been the backdrop of numerous historic occasions, and that it was ingrained within the Danish psyche.
“That’s why there are folks standing within the streets, trying extremely unhappy,” he mentioned. “It impacts me, too.”
A number of different officers lamented the fireplace, together with Jan Jorgensen, a member of Parliament for the opposition Liberal Celebration, who known as for the previous inventory alternate to be rebuilt. “In all probability essentially the most iconic constructing in Copenhagen,” he mentioned on social media. “All forces should be united to have this previous, stunning home rebuilt in all its energy and splendor.”
The constructing was constructed on the route of King Christian IV, who had acknowledged the significance of commerce and commerce, in response to the Go to Copenhagen tourism web site. The unique construction contained not less than 40 market stalls and was surrounded by water on three sides to assist ships simply unload their cargo.
As fireplace crews fought the flames on Tuesday, dozens of onlookers quietly stood on the road, watching in shock, together with Celeste Bolvinkil Andersen, who mentioned she had woken up when she heard her roommate shouting concerning the fireplace.
“It feels a bit like turning into a firsthand witness to historical past,” she mentioned. “I can’t assist however sit right here deeply, deeply disillusioned in myself, for not having gone inside and seen the Borsen from the within. And now it’s fully gone.”
