From one second to the next, the walls of the burned-out half of the historic stock exchange in Copenhagen collapsed. Shortly before, the fire brigade had hoped that the last remains of the damaged side of the well-known building in the Danish capital could be saved. But on Thursday the facade collapsed, a fire department spokesman confirmed. It was the last remnant that survived the fire that broke out on the site on Tuesday.
Shortly before, the emergency services had tried to stabilize the walls. “The building probably needs further support,” said fire department operations manager Tim Ole Simonsen at a press conference earlier on Thursday afternoon. The police could not yet begin their investigation inside the building for safety reasons; the risk of collapse was too great, Simonsen continued. And that’s what happened moments later.
Part of the affected side has collapsed, and other areas could follow: “There is still a risk that the remaining facades of Børsen will collapse,” said Simonsen after the facade fell. And the side that the emergency services were able to protect from the fire spreading on Tuesday was also at risk. The part will continue to be secured, according to the fire department. According to them, there is no knowledge of anyone injured after the collapse.
The old stock exchange, which is now home to the Danish Chamber of Commerce, houses, among other things, a large art collection. Several streets and the area around the historic stock exchange remained largely cordoned off.
The old stock exchange is considered an important architectural asset in the Scandinavian city. After the fire, numerous supporters spoke out in favor of rebuilding the building. “The building is simply vital for Copenhagen and the entire cultural history of Denmark,” wrote the seven mayors of Copenhagen in a joint statement shortly after the fire – they would do everything to support the reconstruction. And the owner of the building, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, also expressed confidence shortly after the fire: “We have decided with our board that we will definitely rebuild the Børsen,” said Brian Mikkelsen, managing director of the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
The building, which was built 400 years ago, is located on the eastern tip of the island of Slotsholmen on the Holmens Canal opposite the Danish National Bank and is a tourist attraction. The fire raged particularly badly on Tuesday in the part of the building that was scaffolded for restoration work and was closer to Parliament. After a short time, the striking spire of the old stock exchange collapsed.
Note: This article has been updated several times.
