Copenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fire
A massive fire has broken out and engulfed the old Copenhagen stock exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The 17th Century Børsen is one of the city’s oldest buildings and is a stone’s throw from Denmark’s parliament, the Folketing, housed in the old royal palace of Christiansborg castle.
The old stock exchange – commissioned by Denmark’s King Christian IV with the aim of turning Copenhagen into a major trading centre – was being renovated and had been shrouded in scaffolding and protective plastic covering.
It currently houses the Danish chamber of commerce and everyone inside the building managed to escape.
Historic Copenhagen stock exchange in Denmark goes up in flames
Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt lamented the loss, declaring that four centuries of Danish cultural legacy had succumbed to the inferno.
Amidst the chaos, civilians hurried to salvage priceless artworks, their efforts spanning hours before the blaze was quelled.
Dating back to 1625, the edifice stands in close proximity to Denmark’s legislative hub, the Folketing, nestled within the confines of the venerable Christiansborg castle. Evacuations ensued in the neighboring square, while smoke forced the closure of the castle’s main entrance.
Enveloped in scaffolding and protective encasement, the old exchange was undergoing refurbishment, a process fraught with peril.
Presently serving as the domicile of the Danish chamber of commerce, the scene unfolding on Tuesday morning was described as harrowing. Brian Mikkelsen, its director, mourned the loss, assuring that the phoenix would rise from the ashes.
Recalling the tragedy that befell Notre-Dame in Paris in 2019, investigations pointed fingers at either a malfunctioning electrical circuit or a negligent smoker’s discarded butt.
The precise cause of the Copenhagen conflagration remains elusive, compounded by the logistical challenges posed by the scaffoldings, hindering the efforts of emergency services.
Amidst the chaos, a craftsman engaged in restoration witnessed the calamity unfold from his elevated vantage point. Ole Hansen’s swift actions, including leaving the door unlocked for firefighters, underscored the valiant efforts to mitigate the disaster.
Fire chief Jakob Vedsted Andersen attested to the Herculean task faced by his team in accessing the heart of the blaze beneath the ancient copper roof. Only by Tuesday afternoon did they manage to wrestle the flames into submission, though the toll on the edifice was dire.
