The incident in Copenhagen has been described as the country’s ‘Notre Dame’ moment
A fire engulfed one of the best-known buildings in the Danish capital of Copenhagen on Tuesday in an incident that has been compared to the 2019 Notre Dame blaze in Paris.
Denmark’s historic old stock exchange in the center of the city went up in flames, leading to a collapse of its spire. The 17th century Borsen was undergoing renovation and had been covered in scaffolding and protective plastic.
“Horrible pictures from the Bourse. So sad. An iconic building that means a lot to all of us… Our own Notre-Dame moment,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Danish TV also quoted locals describing the fire as a Notre Dame moment for the country. In 2019 fire engulfed the landmark medieval Catholic cathedral in Paris while the building was shrouded in scaffolding for renovations, bringing down its roof and spire. Tuesday’s fire in Denmark took place just a day after the fifth anniversary of the Notre Dame blaze.
According to the Copenhagen fire department, nearby buildings have been evacuated. The scaffolding around the stock exchange building made it harder for the emergency services to reach the flames, while the copper roof was preserving the heat, the fire department added.
No injuries were immediately reported as everyone inside the building was able to leave. Some of its historic artifacts have also been rescued.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze. The building currently serves as the headquarters for the Danish Chamber of Commerce.