The rescue operation by Serbian authorities has since ceased after a roof collapse at the Novi Sad railway station in northern Serbia that led to the death of 14 people and injured three others.
It happened on Friday when part of the roofing above the station entrance collapsed during what could otherwise be described as a perfect weather morning. It took the rescue squad all night to pull out the bodies with the help of heavy machinery for the injured trapped in the debris.
The railway stations of Novi Sad, which is about 70 kilometers away from the capital city of Belgrade, were renovated in the years 2021 and 2022. The additional minor works of the renovation project were facilitated with 16 million euros and ended in July this year. A Chinese consortium of China Railway International Co. Ltd and China Communications Construction Company performed the last upgrades at the station.
Serbia’s Transport Minister, Goran Vesic, said the probe would be conducted by the local police in Novi Sad and representatives of the state Traffic Institute and the Chinese consortium that was undertaking the renovation work with the assistance of Serbian railways.
Speaking on live television, Vesic explained that the inquiry would consist of identifying responsibilities or, more precisely, finding out who made and approved the decisions. The research is to establish those to whom the construction process is delegated, and all aspects of safety are monitored and controlled.
Significantly, Vesic and all the participants from the Serbian Railways, the Traffic Institute, and the Chinese consortium all affirmed that the section of the station that collapsed was not an area that was to be refurbished. This brought to light other possibilities about structural problems that might have been hidden in other sections of the station that were not perhaps touched during the renovation exercises.
Interior Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic said that 20 people are expected to be interrogated on Saturday. Among the participants who were invited for interviews was the Ministry of Transportation.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates