A fire broke out in one of the most famous buildings of the Danish capital — the Old Stock Exchange of Copenhagen. This was first reported by the Danish Chamber of Commerce, which uses the building as its headquarters.
The fire has already collapsed the 56-meter spire in the shape of the intertwined tails of four dragons.
"Terrible pictures from the Exchange. So sad. An iconic building that means a lot to all of us... Our own Notre Dame," said Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
People tried to save historical artifacts by carrying them out of the burning building. At the time of the fire, the historic building was under renovation.
According to representatives of the Copenhagen Fire Department, scaffolding around the structure made it difficult for rescuers to reach the flames, and the copper roof was completely engulfed in flames.
"400 years of Danish cultural heritage on fire," wrote Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt.
The building no longer houses the Danish Stock Exchange, but served as the headquarters of the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
The cause of the fire and the victims have not yet been reported. Copenhagen police urged people to avoid traveling in the inner part of the city.
- Bersen Stock Exchange is one of the oldest buildings located in the heart of Copenhagen. Its construction was completed in 1625. The Stock Exchange was built by order of Christian IV, and its main feature was a 56-meter spire.