A historic building in Copenhagen, Denmark, known as the Old Stock Exchange, was engulfed in flames on Tuesday morning. The fire consumed the iconic spire of the building, which is shaped like four entwined dragon tails. Everyone inside the building was able to evacuate safely before it was engulfed in flames.
The Old Stock Exchange, which served as Denmark's stock exchange until the 1970s and now houses the headquarters of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, is one of Copenhagen's oldest structures. It was commissioned by Christian IV in 1619 and has been a significant part of Denmark's architectural heritage for centuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The building was undergoing renovations at the time, with scaffolding surrounding it, making it more difficult for emergency services to reach the flames. The copper roof was also preserving the heat and making it harder to put out.
Denmark's National Museum sent 25 employees to help evacuate historic artwork and paintings from the burning building. Jakob Vedsted Andersen, the Copenhagen fire department chief, and others were seen carrying out paintings from the building to save them.
The incident brought back memories of Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral, which was severely damaged by a fire almost exactly five years ago. Denmark's Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen referred to it as Denmark's 'Notre Dame moment.'
Despite the efforts to save the building and its contents, parts of the facade have started to give way as the construction burns away. The Danish Chamber of Commerce expressed gratitude for the dragons that have protected Borsen, Copenhagen's historic stock exchange building, throughout history.