Copenhagen stock exchange fire sees iconic spire collapse in huge inferno

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

The iconic spire of one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings has collapsed in a huge inferno.

The roof of the 17th-century old Stock Exchange, or Boersen, that was once Denmark’s financial centre, was engulfed in flames before collapsing on Tuesday.

The building, which is situated next to the Christiansborg Palace where the parliament sits, is a popular tourist attraction.

Its distinctive spire, in the shape of the tails of four dragons entwined together, reached a height of 56 metres (184 feet).

Huge billows of smoke rose over downtown Copenhagen and people were seen rushing inside the building to save paintings. Danish media reported that an annex of the parliament was being evacuated.

Police and firefighters were at work outside the building, which was encased in scaffolding. Ambulances were at the scene but there were no reports of casualties.

Danish culture minister Jakon Engel-Schmidt said it was “touching” to see how passers-by helped emergency services “to save art treasures and iconic images from the burning building”.

The Danish Chamber of Commerce has its headquarters in the building, which was built in 1615. The chamber’s head, Brian Mikkelsen, was among those helping to carry paintings out of the building.

“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.

The cause of the fire first reported at 7.30am was not immediately known.

“The extinguishing work is very difficult,” said firefighters’ spokesman Jakob Vedsted Andersen, adding that there are parts of the building that the firefighters cannot enter because it is too dangerous.