A huge fire destroyed Copenhagen’s 17th-century former stock exchange, toppling the historic building’s landmark spire as onlookers watched in horror.

Videos show the 180-foot “dragon” spire disappearing into the blaze at the Børsen building on Tuesday as plumes of black smoke billow from the rooftop.

Frygtelige scener fra Børsen i dag. Det er til at give sig til at græde over. Håber på genopbygning – og at alle malerier er reddet. pic.twitter.com/3PqHr4tDfn

— Mikkel Bjørn (@Mikkel_Bjorn) April 16, 2024

A fire ripped through Denmark’s old stock exchange building in Copenhagen Tuesday and tore down the 400-year-old structure’s iconic dragon-tail spire https://t.co/d7BTETqLGQ pic.twitter.com/CfajjfU3N5

— Bloomberg (@business) April 16, 2024

Emergency services told reporters the fire started at around 7:30 am local time (0530 GMT) under the red-brick building’s copper roof.

The Danish Notre Dame

Exactly 5 years after the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the historic Danish Stock Exchange building in the center of Copenhagen was engulfed in flames, causing the spire to collapse. The building is about 400 years old, one of the… pic.twitter.com/WjxQyAhYME

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) April 16, 2024

I’m absolutely gutted. Børsen in Copenhagen, built in 1619, with it priceless interior and artworks is no more.

I’m totally lost for words!😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/devbdruvBa

— Pete Liquid Питик (@PeteLiquid) April 16, 2024

Forces from the Danish military were also called to the scene mainly to try to evacuate artworks, according to reports.

Fortunately, no one was inside the building, which was under restoration.

A spire collapsed on a 17th century Danish building as flames gripped the old stock exchange in Copenhagen just over five years since the inferno that partially destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

The Børsen, built in 1625 and located in the center of the Kopenhagen, had… pic.twitter.com/E5LL2A3c5M

— Dane (@UltraDane) April 16, 2024

The Børsen building, situated next to Christiansborg Palace on the island of Slotsholmen, was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640, making it one of Copenhagen’s oldest and best-known landmarks.

“Terrifying images from Borsen this morning. 400 years of Danish cultural heritage going up in flames,” Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt wrote on X.

Frygtelige billeder fra Børsen her til morgen. 400 års dansk kulturarv i flammer.

— Jakob Engel-Schmidt (@engelschmidt) April 16, 2024

“I will do everything I can so that the dragon spire will once again tower over Copenhagen,” he continued. “A symbol of Denmark’s strong history as a trading nation. Thank you to the hundreds of people who today have contributed to saving Denmark’s cultural heritage and history.”

Jeg vil gøre alt hvad jeg kan, for at dragespiret igen kommer til at tårne sig op over København. Som symbol på Danmarks stærke historie som handelsnation. Tak til de hundreder af mennesker, der i dag har bidraget til at redde Danmarks kulturarv og historie.

— Jakob Engel-Schmidt (@engelschmidt) April 16, 2024

The disastrous incident is reminiscent of the fire that devastated the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris almost five years ago to the day, which was also just reopened this week.

The cause of the fire has not yet been reported, but many on X have their own theories, noting both the Notre Dame and the Børsen stood the test of time for hundreds of years — until around the time Europe began bringing in millions of Muslim migrants.

Probably Muslims

— DadZilla (@DadZilla42) April 16, 2024

Arson ?

— Captain Crash (@MrCaptainCrash) April 16, 2024

“oh look, an accident has occurred on a building that has stood the test of time for so long!”

— Wasabi_Cheetah (@Wasabi_Cheetah) April 16, 2024

This is a scandal about peaceful religion

— 𝐗 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 (@XSecular_) April 16, 2024

WOW.. let’s ALL pretend we don’t know who caused this and just offer condolences & sadness. We all know that if ‘those that can’t be named’ caused it, we will NEVER be told that. Just keep letting them in. pic.twitter.com/hKjwcvJokC

— Bobsters (@bobstersnow) April 16, 2024

Arson by the usual suspects?

— Ben (@Degen_Ben_) April 16, 2024

The cause of fire is it arson perpetuated by usual suspects?

— Not a Peace Officer (@StHonorable) April 16, 2024

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