Copenhagen’s Previous Inventory Alternate Constructing Partly Collapses in Hearth

The outdated inventory change constructing in downtown Copenhagen — one of many metropolis’s oldest buildings, recognized for its elaborate spire of intertwined dragon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.

Nobody was injured, according to a statement from King Frederik X. Photos and video from social media confirmed flames on the construction’s roof and darkish clouds of smoke lingering over town.

It was not instantly clear what prompted the fireplace within the construction, which gave the impression to be present process renovations. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the blaze was nonetheless burning with “pockets of fireside” within the constructing, an official with the Copenhagen fireplace division mentioned.

The king mentioned that the constructing’s famed spire had helped outline Copenhagen as a “metropolis of towers.”

“Till at this time, we have now regarded the historic constructing as a fantastic image of our capital and a constructing that we, as a nation, have been happy with,” he mentioned.

The authorities responded to the fireplace simply after 7:30 a.m., officers mentioned in a information convention on Tuesday. Round 200 individuals have been concerned in combating the fireplace.

“It’s nonetheless troublesome to work in massive components of the constructing,” mentioned Jakob Vedsted Andersen, the chief director of the Better Copenhagen Hearth Division. “The whole construction has collapsed inside, so there are pockets of fireside. Nonetheless, there’s no hazard of the fireplace spreading to different buildings.”

It can take days for the authorities to piece collectively what prompted considered one of Denmark’s most prized buildings to go up in flames.

Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Denmark’s tradition minister, mentioned in an interview early Tuesday that it was “dreadful” to see the constructing in flames. “The constructing represents over 400 years of Danish historical past,” he mentioned, utilizing “Borsen,” the Danish identify for the constructing. “It’s one of many final buildings on the earth in Dutch Renaissance type, the place commerce has been performed all through all the interval.”

Amid the chaos, the police in Copenhagen mentioned on social media that they’d evacuated a number of surrounding buildings, and urged individuals to keep away from the realm.

The outdated inventory change constructing, a Seventeenth-century construction that was as soon as the monetary heart of Denmark, additionally housed a number of historic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 Alternate,” according to a local news 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 individuals to take away it to security.

Denmark’s Nationwide Museum said on social media that it had despatched dozens of staff to the constructing to take away cultural objects and assess the harm of others earlier than safely stowing them away.

Mr. Engel-Schmidt mentioned the outdated inventory change’s artworks “inform us one thing about ourselves as a nation and as a individuals.” 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 individuals 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 Liberal Get together, who referred to as for the outdated inventory change to be rebuilt. “Most likely essentially the most iconic constructing in Copenhagen,” he said on social media. “All forces have to be united to have this outdated, lovely 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, according to the Visit Copenhagen tourism website. 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 changing 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 utterly gone.”