In Novi Sad, northern Serbia, part of the roof of a railway station collapsed. 14 people were killed and dozens were injured. According to Serbia's Interior Minister Ivica Daczić, an “extremely difficult rescue operation” is underway.
After 12 p.m. on Friday, the front part of the roof, located above the main entrance to the railway station building in Novi Sad in northern Serbia, collapsed. At least 14 people died as a result of the disaster.
The mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Dziurić, confirmed that over 30 people were injured. The hospital in Novi Sad, where the accident victims were taken, appealed to city residents to donate blood.
The services are working at the site of the collapseMARKO KAROVIC/EPA/PAP
Around 3 p.m., the Minister of Internal Affairs said that an “extremely difficult rescue operation” was underway. – About 80 rescuers from several cities and heavy equipment are working – he said. Two women, whom the services worked to free for several hours, were taken to hospital in critical condition.
In the evening, the rescue operation was still ongoing.
Public broadcaster RTS said many people were sitting on benches below when the front part of the roof collapsed. Witnesses said that at the time of the accident, students returning home from nearby towns were staying under the roof.
The moment the roof collapsed at the station in Novi Sad in northern Serbia Reuters
The N1 news channel reported that train departures from the station, located about 70 kilometers northwest of the Serbian capital Belgrade, were suspended.
The services are working at the site of the roof collapseMARKO KAROVIC/EPA/PAP
The station was opened after general renovation
The station was opened in July after a general renovation, for which the Chinese consortium CRIC&CCCC (China Railway International Co.Ltd and China Communications Construction Company Ltd) was responsible – recalled N1 television. Serbia's state railways said on Friday that the collapsed part of the roof was not part of the building's recent reconstruction work.
The opposition at the local and central level in Serbia called for an urgent investigation and a thorough examination of the reconstruction works. These groups accused the authorities in the city and state of negligence that led to the accident.
Serbian Prime Minister and former Mayor of Novi Sad Milos Vuczevic declared that it was “Black Friday for all of Serbia and Novi Sad.” “Regardless of the fact that this building was built in 1964, we will insist on identifying those responsible for this tragedy,” he added.
Main photo source: MARKO KAROVIC/EPA/PAP