COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — One of Copenhagen's oldest buildings has caught fire, collapsing its iconic spire.
The fire that broke out on Tuesday in the copper roof of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange (Bersen) has now spread to most of the building, with part of the roof also collapsing, fire spokesman Jakob Vested Andersen said. said Mr.The fire was first reported at 7:30 a.m.
“Fighting the fire is extremely difficult,” Vested Andersen said, adding that there are parts of the building that are too dangerous for firefighters to access.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The building is located next to Christiansborg Palace, home to the Parliament, and is a popular tourist attraction. Its distinctive spire, shaped like four intertwined dragon tails, reached a height of 56 meters (184 feet).
Huge plumes of smoke billowed into the sky above downtown Copenhagen, and people could be seen rushing into buildings to rescue the paintings.
Denmark's Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt said it was “moving” to see how passersby helped emergency services “to save art and iconic images from the burning building.” .
An ambulance was called to the scene, but there were no reports of casualties. Members of the Army Corps were seen being sent to cordon off the area, with the Danish Emergency Management Agency also assisting.
The building was covered with scaffolding. Built in 1615 and considered a prime example of the Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark, Belsen's roof, masonry, sandstone and spire were under renovation, the company said after the Copenhagen Stock Exchange withdrew in 1974. According to the Danish Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has moved into the building.
Chamber president Brian Mikkelsen was among those who helped remove the paintings from the building. “This is a national disaster,” Mikkelsen told reporters.
Adjacent Christiansborg Palace has been destroyed by fire several times, most recently in 1990 when a fire broke out in the Danish parliament's annex, known as the Provian Garden. However, the old stock exchange survived intact.
Its annex, located in the block behind the old stock exchange, was evacuated as a precaution, as were various ministries located in the street behind the burning building.
In addition to being the location of the Chamber of Commerce, the Old Stock Exchange is also used for celebratory dinners, meetings, parties, and other events.
Police said on social media site X that major roads in Copenhagen were closed and people should expect the area to be closed for some time. Several bus routes were rerouted and Danish media reported heavy traffic congestion in the surrounding area.
