Many dead in partial collapse of train station – DW – 11/01/2024

At least fourteen people were killed on Friday when a concrete roof collapsed over the entrance to a train station in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said: “When we had eight victims, we knew that there were still five people under the rubble, of whom we could not determine whether they were alive or dead.”

Dacic said the people recovered had been killed “on the spot.”

Earlier, Dacic said: “More than 80 rescuers are involved, with the help of heavy machinery.”

Emergency responders on site worked with excavation crews and used heavy machinery to cut and dig through the collapsed structure to locate and rescue any further survivors.

The Blood Transfusion Institute in Novi Sad called on residents to donate blood.

Station recently renovated

It was not immediately clear what caused the partial collapse, but Novi Sad train station had only reopened in July after three years of renovation work.

Construction work was still underway in parts of the building.

Surveillance footage showed people entering and leaving the building and sitting on benches on a sunny day before the concrete structure suddenly collapsed.

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic described it as “a Black Friday for us, for all of Serbia.”

“We will insist on finding those responsible, those who should have guaranteed the safety of the structure. My condolences to the families of the deceased,” he said.

The Serbian government has declared Saturday a national day of mourning.

js,lo/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)