A historic rescue: Safeguarding cultural heritage during the Copenhagen Stock Exchange fire

On April 16th, 2024, a devastating fire broke out at Copenhagen’s historic Stock Exchange (Børsen), threatening nearly 400 years of cultural heritage. Amidst the chaos, swift collaboration between museums, emergency services, and transport companies helped save invaluable artworks and artefacts from destruction. This is the story of how dedicated professionals, including MTAB, played a crucial role in this rescue operation.

As the fire broke out, Thor Nørmark-Larsen, Head Registrar at the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK), received an urgent call from the museum’s Head of Security. Smoke was rising from the historic Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, one of Denmark’s most cherished landmarks. Concerned about the potential loss of invaluable artworks, Thor and his colleagues, quickly began assessing the situation.

Though SMK had no artworks stored in the building, the staff at SMK knew that significant cultural artefacts, including P.S. Krøyer’s monumental painting From Copenhagen Stock Exchange, were inside. This 1895 oil painting, depicting 50 representatives from Denmark’s commercial and financial sectors in the Great Hall of Børsen, was at great risk.

Mobilizinescue effort

As the fire spread, the Danish Ministry of Culture was in contact with SMK that was prepared for assistance in evacuating the threatened artworks. Thor immediately contacted transport agents and colleagues such as art handlers and conservators prepared themselves for a possible emergency operation.

A truck from Hizkia Denmark, which was already on-site at SMK, was quickly dispatched to the Stock Exchange. Thor also reached out to MTAB Denmark’s director, Jørgen Jul Jensen, to secure additional vehicles. “Jørgen cancelled all possible projects for the day,” Thor recalls, “and I asked him to send five trucks to the emergency site.”

The rescue teams faced challenges, as police and firefighters initially restricted access to the area. However, persistence paid off, and the vehicles were eventually allowed through to start the critical task of evacuating the artworks.

Collaboration in crisis

The rescue effort was a collaborative success. Art handlers from MTAB worked tirelessly, loading the most vulnerable pieces into trucks and the handlers from MTAB worked the whole night to secure the artefacts from the building. Conservators from SMK and the National Museum of Denmark provided expert guidance, ensuring the artworks were safely transported to secure locations.

Simultaneously, SMK developed an evacuation plan for nearby ministries, where SMK had artworks on display. As the fire threatened to spread, the team began moving these pieces to safer locations, preparing for a potential evacuation.

A successful outcome

By evening, the fire was under control, and the artworks were safe. The situation stabilised, and the SMK team could eventually reinstall the pieces in their original locations.

Reflecting on the rescue, Thor praised the cooperation of all involved. “There was great collaboration between police, military, firefighters, art shippers, civilians, and our colleagues from different institutions on-site,” he says. He also commended the transport companies for their dedication: “We were thankful to MTAB, who took on the hard job of sending all available trucks and handlers to the site.”

The fire at the Stock Exchange was a stark reminder of the fragility of cultural heritage. Thanks to the swift and coordinated response, invaluable artworks were saved, ensuring that Copenhagen’s historic treasures could be preserved for future generations.