A fire has “more or less completely destroyed” a popular science centre in Hellerup near Copenhagen, Denmark.
The town’s Experimentarium – which was undergoing a DKR339m (US$49.5m, €45.4m, £32.4m) redevelopment – was gutted by fire on 27 April, the exact cause of which has not yet been determined. Because of the work being done to the building, the science centre’s staff and exhibits had been temporarily moved to Papirøen in Copenhagen Harbour, though the damage from the fire means the centre may never move back.
According to a police spokesperson, two construction workers suffered minor injuries as a result of the fire, which broke out on the Experementarium’s roof.
“The fire spread a lot. A large part of the Experimentarium is destroyed and burnt down. There is extensive damage to large sections of the building. More or less, it is completely destroyed,” said police spokesperson Ulrik Lindén speaking to Danish media, adding that the fire services were considering tearing down a section of the building due to structural concerns.
First opened in 1991, the science centre adopts a hands-on approach, with visitors able to try out a number of scientific exhibitions. The destroyed centre’s renovation began in 2014, with plans for two additional floors to the 110-year-old building, of which 70 per cent had originally planned to be preserved.
The expansion would have added a roof exhibition area, new classrooms, a training and education centre, conference centre, café and solar panels. Ejendomsselskabet was the developer for the project, while Danish architecture firm CEBRA consulted on the development. Rambøll A/S and Elgaard Architecture also worked on the plans.
UPDATE
In a news statement, Kim Gladstone Herlev, Executive Director at Experimentarium has confirmed that construction work on the building has already been resumed. He said: "The current schedule for the extension will be kept, and the new Experimentarium will open in Hellerup as a completely renovated and transformed building in September 2016.
"Experimentarium management has begun to determine what will be needed in order to ensure the transfer of the building in line with the current schedule. Construction work has restarted in areas not affected by the fire.
"Since February 2014, Experimentarium has been temporarily located on Paper Island in Christianshavn during the renovation of the Hellerup building. For this reason, no harm came to either visitors or the unique exhibitions and we’re still open every day,” he explained.
Experimentarium is an independent non-profit foundation. Its purpose is to promote interest in natural science and technology as widely as possible in society, and to create a meeting place between the public, industry and scientific communities.
Experimentarium is a Science Centre – an activity centre for nature, technology, environment and health. Experimentarium’s purpose is to promote interest in natural science and technology for our approx. 300,000 visitors each year.
Follow the author on Twitter: @TomAnstey
