The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Friday evening that 14 people died after the canopy above the entrance door of the Railway Station in Novi Sad collapsed around noon on Friday.
In response to a journalist's question about who is responsible for the accident, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that now is not the time to "currently have no answer to that question and that there is currently talk of rescue".
There are three people in the Clinical Center of Vojvodina, two women and a man, and all of them are in a very serious condition and their lives are at risk.
An 18-year-old boy had his leg amputated.
According to unofficial information, there were two women under the ruins, but rescuers managed to pull them out. The extent of their injuries is not known.
The mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić, said that more than 30 people were injured.
Photo: Tanjug/ Nenad MihajlovićMinister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić
There are three people in the Clinical Center of Vojvodina, two women and a man, and all of them are in a very serious condition and their lives are at risk.
In July of this year, the reconstructed Railway Station in Novi Sad was officially opened.
Vesić: The canopy was not reconstructed
The Minister of Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, said that the canopy of the Railway Station in Novi Sad, which collapsed today and killed 11 people on that occasion, has not been reconstructed, which, he says, can be seen from the construction permit.
"This part of the station has not been reconstructed and you can see that from the building permit, to determine who could say that it is safe and that reconstruction is not needed, it is true that the canopy has not been reconstructed," said Vesić.
Vesić stated that in the coming days it will be known why the canopy of the railway station in Novi Sad was not reconstructed during the reconstruction of the entire building, which will be determined by the competent authorities.
He said that an investigation is being conducted and that the responsibility for why it was not reconstructed must be determined and he pointed out that the traffic institute CIP said that the canopy "was not subject to a building permit".
"All those who threatened people's safety, directly or indirectly, will bear responsibility," said Vesić.
He emphasized that whoever said that the canopy is safe will have to answer for it.
He could not answer when the railway traffic will be restored, explaining that it will happen when the clearing of the ruins is finished and when the expert teams check the complete statics of the station building, and there is no indication when all this will be finished.
Tragedy in Novi Sad: Who is to blame?
When asked by a journalist who is responsible for the accident, Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic said that it is not a question that can be answered for now and that now the emphasis should be on rescuing people under the ruins.
Vucevic: One of the most difficult days
Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević said that this is one of the most difficult days in the post-war history of Novi Sad and a terrible tragedy. On behalf of the Government and all citizens of Serbia, he expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and thanked all the rescuers who are fighting to help people under the ruins.
"We will insist that those responsible are found and that those who had to take care of the condition of the structure and who had to inform the authorities that certain things must be repaired are held accountable," said Vucevic.
The railway station in Novi Sad is managed by the state company Infrastruktura Železnice. The head of this company is former Minister of Agriculture Jelena Tanasković.
The weekly "Vreme" tried to get in touch with Tanasković, but she did not answer our calls.
It is a canopy that is located above the entrance door to the station building.
The incident happened around 12.00:XNUMX p.m.
Traffic is being diverted, the train is not running according to schedule. There is also a bus station, so buses are also diverted.
A large number of people were sitting on the benches below
As reported by RTS, at the moment the canopy fell, a large number of people were sitting on the benches below, and people in the hall were buying tickets.
The Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić, as well as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, are also on the scene.
Construction Minister Goran Vesić announced that he is ending his working visit to Montenegro and is heading to Novi Sad.
More than 30 injured during the collapse
The portal Nova.rs announced that more than 30 people were injured during the collapse of the railway station.
"Over 30 people were injured, that's the last number we have, and it may be higher." We still don't know if there are any dead, until we're sure we can't say anything. Our phones ring constantly, parents call to ask about the children, but we don't say anything to anyone until we know definitely what the situation is. Something like this has never happened before, this is a disaster! All available ambulance and fire brigade teams are on the ground. At the moment, the concrete that fell is being removed, it is a huge amount, and there are also cranes and cranes. We try to reach the victims in all ways, as quickly and effectively as possible. Believe that we are doing our best," said the source of this portal from the Novi Sad Emergency Department.
Photo: Tanjug / Nenad MihajlovićSeven ambulances arrived at the scene of the accident
Railway infrastructure of Serbia: The collapsed canopy was not reconstructed
At the Novi Sad railway station today at 11.50:XNUMX a.m., the concrete canopy of the station building collapsed. According to the information so far, there are injuries in this accident, it was announced from the Railway Infrastructure of Serbia.
The canopy that fell at the entrance to the Novi Sad station was not the subject of reconstruction as part of the works on the renovation of the station building as part of the construction project of the Novi Sad-Subotica high-speed railway, they say.
As part of the reconstruction, the interior of the station, the roof and the facade above and below the canopy were worked on, according to the announcement.
Railway traffic in Novi Sad station is interrupted, and trains are running from the direction of Belgrade to Petrovaradin station.
The Railway Infrastructure of Serbia regrets the accident that occurred, and the causes and every new detail from the investigation will be announced immediately, according to the announcement of the Railway Infrastructure of Serbia.
