A MASSIVE fire tore through Copenhagen's 400-year-old Stock Exchange this morning, engulfing its iconic spire which collapsed into a melted mess.
Shocking footage shows one of the Danish capital's most iconic buildings ablaze as locals scrambled to save its priceless paintings and cried at the site of their "Notre-Dame" moment.
Police received reports of a fire at 8am local time (7am GMT) and emergency services rushed to the burning Børsen building, which was in the midst of renovations and encased in scaffolding.
Firefighters and ambulances surrounded the site, but there were no reports of injuries.
Harrowing images show distraught locals watching on as smoke rises over downtown Copenhagen and the flames continued to rip through a central piece of the capital's history.
Traffic backed up on the nearby streets as people couldn't tear their eyes from the horror.
One witness told Danish broadcaster DR: "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."
Brave local residents were also seen rushing inside the building, which was once Denmark's financial centre, to save a number of precious paintings.
At midday, firefighters spokesman Jakob Vedsted Andersen said: "The fire is still not under control."
He told TV2: "The whole building has collapsed inside, so there are pockets of fire," but added that there is no danger of the fire spreading to other buildings.
The Old Stock Exchange, which is situated next to the Christiansborg Palace where the parliament sits, is a popular tourist attraction.
Danish media reported earlier today that part of the parliament was being evacuated.
Copenhagen police asked people to avoid driving through the inner part of the city.
Back in 2019, terrifying scenes saw Paris' historic Notre-Dame cathedral set ablaze destroying much of the inside of the famous landmark as renovation work was underway on the building.
Local resident Klavs Lockwood, who helped to rescue important artefacts from the fire, told : “I saw the tower topple over. It fell like a tree being felled. It was violent.
“This is Notre-Dame in Denmark. For us, this is just as big a disaster.”
In an update, Danish rescue services said they could not give "any guarantees" that the facade of 17th-century stock exchange could be saved.
"The facades are still standing, but they are starting to give way as the construction burns away," director of emergency services Jakob Vedsted Andersen said.
He adding that "we are trying everything we can to protect the facades, but we cannot give any guarantees."
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt decried the loss of the building, stating: "400 years of Danish cultural heritage in flames.
"The building is filled with art that tells a lot about our history, about who we are as a people."
The Renaissance-style building - which dates back to 1625 - serves as headquarters for the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
"We are met by a terrible sight. The Bourse is on fire," the Chamber of Commerce wrote on X.
Its 184ft spire was shaped like the tails of four dragons intertwined and, according to local legend, was supposed to guard it against enemy attacks and fire.
It also had three crowns at the top, symbolising the great kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Senior researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, Ulla Kjaer, said: "This spire is absolutely iconic and there is no other like it in the world.";
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
