A concrete roof over an entrance to a train station in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed on Friday, killing at least 14 people who are feared buried under the debris, officials said.
The Minister of the Interior, Ivica Dacic, said that three people were rescued and admitted to the hospital with serious injuries, and that the number of dead may increase. He said to those who were killed, “death happens on the spot.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in his national address that 14 people had died, including a six-year-old girl and a citizen of North Macedonia. Vucic said five of the dead have not yet been identified.
The train station has been renovated twice in recent years, and critics of the dictatorial president blame the disaster on his regime's corruption and sloppy maintenance. Members of the opposition parties planned to protest in front of the station on Saturday.
Warning: Video may disturb some viewers. CCTV footage posted on social media shows the moment a concrete roof collapsed at the entrance to a train station in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad on Friday. About 14 people died, and it is feared that they were buried under the debris, officials said.
However, Vucic said the canopy was not part of the recent repairs, and pledged to clarify “political and criminal responsibility” for the collapse.
Ambulances and other emergency teams were sent to the station in the center of the city and tractors were clearing the debris in search of survivors. About 80 rescuers were at the scene as large machines removed large parts of the debris.
Surveillance camera footage showed people walking in and out of the building and sitting on benches on a bright, sunny day before the concrete floor collapsed.
The Serbian government declared Saturday a day of mourning. Residents of Novi Sad lit candles across the railway station to mourn the lives lost.
“This is a black Friday for us, for all of Serbia,” said Prime Minister Milos Vucevic.
Vucevic said the roof was built in 1964 and the investigation is still ongoing to find out what happened and who caused the disaster.
The renovated station was opened by Vucic and his famous colleague, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, two years ago as a major stop for the planned high-speed train line between Belgrade and Budapest.
The railway company in the province of Serbia said the accident happened at 11:50 am local time. The company said the building above the station entrance was not affected during the renovation.
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