COPENHAGEN. A devastating fire tore through Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange on Tuesday, consuming its iconic spire in a scene reminiscent of the Notre-Dame Cathedral blaze in Paris in 2019.
Emergency responders, staff from the Danish Chamber of Commerce, including CEO Brian Mikkelsen, and concerned citizens scrambled to salvage precious artifacts from the historic building as flames ravaged its structure.
In a heart-wrenching moment, a video captured the spire collapsing, breaking in half as it plummeted to the ground beside a fire truck.
“Everybody is crying at the Danish Chamber of Commerce right now. It’s their workplace, but also their history,” Mikkelsen expressed to reporters, visibly shaken. “It’s our cultural heritage that I’m looking at. It’s 400 years that have shaped Danish cultural history and the society we live in today.”
The National Museum of Denmark dispatched 25 personnel to assist in evacuating cultural treasures and artworks, while firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the blaze.
Locals are desperately trying to salvage paintings as emergency services flock to the historic building as flames continue to spread.
“We are saving everything we possibly can,” Copenhagen fire department chief Jakob Vedsted Andersen affirmed.
Among the rescued items were paintings by renowned Danish artist Peder Severin Kroyer, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation.
The Old Stock Exchange, characterized by its distinctive spire adorned with intertwined dragon tails, had been undergoing renovations at the time of the fire, complicating firefighting efforts.
Despite parts of the roof collapsing and the fire spreading to multiple floors, there were no reported injuries. However, the cause of the blaze remained unclear.
In a poignant reflection, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen likened the incident to Notre-Dame, acknowledging the deep significance of the Borsen to the community.
As thick smoke billowed over the city and sirens blared, the Royal Life Guards assisted in securing valuables, while onlookers, like schoolteacher Elisabeth Handberg and software engineer Thor Koustrup, expressed their sorrow and disbelief.
Amidst the tragedy, an outpouring of support emerged, with Chamber of Commerce CEO Mikkelsen receiving numerous offers of assistance.
The fire not only threatened the architectural heritage of Copenhagen but also stirred national sentiment, with Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt emphasizing the profound loss to Denmark’s identity.
As investigations continue, the city grapples with the aftermath of a devastating blaze that has left a historic landmark in ruins.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
