Our Notre Dame

Fire tears into Copenhagen’s iconic Bourse

A BLAZE tore through the 400-year-old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen yesterday bringing down the building’s iconic spire.

Firefighters desperately tried to extinguish the inferno as staff and onlookers rushed into the Bourse to rescue priceless pieces of art.

The historic building was being renovated and was encased in scaffolding.

It echoed the 2019 blaze which tore through Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral.

One witness said: “It’s horrible. It was one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. I pass by here every day. It’s Notre Dame all over again.”

Distraught locals wept as smoke rose over the Danish capital and flames ripped through the building, which was once Denmark’s financial centre

Culture minister Jakon Engel-schmidt said it was “touching” to see passers-by help “to save art treasures and iconic images from the burning building”.

Traffic backed up on the nearby streets as teams of firefighters battled the blaze, which started at around 8am.

The landmark, situated next to Christiansborg

Palace where the parliament sits, is a popular tourist attraction.

Part of the parliament was evacuated. Police asked people to avoid driving through the inner city.

The Renaissance-style building, which dates back to 1625, is the HQ for the Danish Chamber of Commerce. It said in a social media post: “We are met by a terrible sight. The Bourse is on fire.” The 184ft tower was shaped like the tails of four dragons intertwined in a spiral and is said to guard it against enemy attacks. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

It was one of our most beautiful buildings.. it’s horrible

ONLOOKER REACTS TO THE INFERNO

UP IN SMOKE Shell of Stock Exchange after fire

INFERNO Thick smoke billows amid scaffolding

BATTLE Firefighters at building. Left, iconic spire on fire

SHOCKED A woman at the scene

HISTORIC The Bourse in Copenhagen before fire

DESTROYED Notre Dame