The Bourse – historic stock exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark home to numerous artworks – caught fire early on Tuesday.
The fire was first reported at 7.30 am local time on Tuesday. Soon, firefighters were swarming The Bourse, as the building is known. Nearby buildings, which include the Danish parliament and other ministries, were evacuated, while the roads to the building were blocked. However, at the time of publication, the flames were barely contained halfway. The scaffolding and the copper roof are trapping the heat, making it harder to extinguish the fire. Around 120 firefighters and 90 members of the Royal Guards are combating the fire.
The Bourse, commissioned by King Charles IV of Denmark, was completed in 1640. The most striking aspect of the building was its roof, which featured an 184-foot spire in the shape of intertwined dragon tails, and three crowns. The three crowns represented the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
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The building served as the stock exchange of the country until 1974. Since then, it has primarily housed one of the most valuable art collections in Denmark. One of the primary objectives of the firefighters was to rescue the artworks from the building before they were damaged by the blaze. Speaking on the tragic event, the Danish Chamber of Commerce posted on X: “We are witnessing a terrible spectacle. The Bourse is on fire. Everyone is asked to stay away.” Meanwhile. Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt applauded the efforts of the firefighters and the Bourse staff.
