Denmark
Firefighting work continues at the historic stock exchange in Copenhagen
Firefighters continue to extinguish the fire at the old stock exchange in Copenhagen. photo
© Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix Photo/AP
Flames at the historic Stock Exchange in Copenhagen have destroyed key parts of the iconic building. The fire is actually under control, but the fire department is still on duty.
According to the information, the emergency services are making sure that the fire does not spread to the other part of the building. They assume that the extinguishing work will take at least another day. Work is also underway to stabilize the exterior walls of the building so that they cannot collapse. Numerous containers are placed on the outside of the walls.
The cause of the fire, which broke out on Tuesday morning, is still unclear. The top of the tower fell off the roof after a short time. By the time emergency services brought the fire under control in the afternoon, around half of the unique building and important supporting structures had already been destroyed.
The structure is scaffolded due to restoration work. The historic stock exchange with its striking church tower is located on the eastern tip of the island of Slotsholmen and was completed in 1625. The building has not been used as a stock exchange in the true sense for a long time. The ongoing restoration was intended to correct an improper renovation of the building in the 19th century and restore the facade to its original appearance.
Presented at the top of the crashed tower
The undamaged top of the collapsed tower was handed back to the Danish Chamber of Commerce. Brian Mikkelsen, head of the Chamber of Commerce, which also owns the structure, was handed over the top by an emergency worker.
He himself called it “a little light in the darkness” on X. The piece of the so-called Drachenspitze had survived the fire and the deep fall. “That gives me a glimmer of hope. Because she will decorate our beautiful workplace and Copenhagen again.”
It was the wish of Christian IV (1577-1648) to have a tower built on the Børsen with a lead top and four dragons with twisted tails, it was said from the town hall. “The dragons were supposed to protect Børsen from enemies and fire, and they have succeeded – until today.”
Mikkelsen himself wrote about the fire on Tuesday on X: “It’s a terrible day. A tragedy.” It was one of the saddest days of his life. “Years of history and art in flames. It is a tragedy not only for the Danish Chamber of Commerce, but for Denmark as a nation.” However, the board has decided that the exchange will be rebuilt, Mikkelsen said.