The historic old stock exchange building in Copenhagen is engulfed in flames, with its iconic spire collapsing onto the roof.

On Tuesday morning, a massive fire swept through Denmark's historic stock exchange building, engulfing it in flames. Videos from the scene depicted the violent destruction as the fire tore through the centuries-old Børsen building, a central hub of Danish business since the 17th century.

Emergency responders battled the blaze beneath towering plumes of black smoke billowing from the Copenhagen landmark.

Stunned commuters and bystanders observed as the ferocious fire encircled the building's unique 56-meter spire, resembling the tail of four interwoven dragons, just before it crumbled and descended onto the street below.

Copenhagen police advised people to steer clear of the area, and as of now, there have been no reported injuries.

"Individuals were inside the building when the fire broke out, but they were promptly evacuated," stated a police spokesperson, noting the presence of military personnel aiding in firefighting endeavors at the scene.

The old stock exchange, situated just a few minutes' walk from Christiansborg Palace, traces its origins back to 1625. Commissioned by King Christian IV, it was constructed in the Dutch Renaissance style and had recently been undergoing renovations, with its facade concealed by scaffolding and protective coverings.

Denmark’s culture minister, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, lamented the damage to 400 years of cultural heritage. "How touching it is to see how the employees at Børsen, good people from the emergency services, and passers-by work together to rescue art treasures and iconic images from the burning building," he added in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Danish Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in the building, described the scene as "a terrible sight."

Emergency services were diligently working to contain the fire, which had spread to all floors through the elevator shaft.

According to TV 2, a government-owned TV channel, Frank Trier Mikkelsen, operations manager at the Greater Copenhagen fire department, described the fire as burning "violently" inside the building. Forty firefighters were actively engaged inside the building, focusing on rescuing valuables.

Mikkelsen explained to the Danish broadcaster that the fire posed a significant challenge, as it required parts of the building’s roof to be removed for effective extinguishing. Machines were brought in to remove some of the copper roof, as water simply bounced off it.