At least 14 killed in roof collapse at Serbian railway station

A concrete roof above the entrance of a railway station in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed on Friday, killing at least 14 people with more feared buried under the rubble.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that three people were rescued and admitted to hospital with serious injuries and that the death toll could rise further. He said that for those killed, “death occurred on the spot”.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in a national address that 14 people had died, including a six-year-old girl and a citizen of North Macedonia.

Mr Vucic said five of the victims still had not been identified.

The train station has been renovated twice in recent years, and critics of the authoritarian president attributed the disaster to corruption and sloppy renovations on the part of his administration.

Members of the opposition planned to protest in front of the station on Saturday.

However, Mr Vucic said the canopy had not been part of the recent renovations, and pledged to determine both the “political and criminal responsibility” for the collapse.

Ambulances and other emergency teams were sent to the central station and bulldozers were removing the debris as people looked for survivors.

Some 80 rescuers were at the scene as heavy machinery removed large parts of the rubble.

Surveillance camera footage showed people moving in and out of the building and sitting on benches as the concrete structure suddenly collapsed.

Serbia’s government declared November 2 a day of mourning.

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said: “This is a black Friday for us, for all of Serbia.”

Mr Vucevic said the roof was built in 1964 and that an investigation was underway to determine what happened and who is responsible for the tragedy.

Serbia’s state railway company said the accident happened at 11.50am local time.

The company said the structure above the station entrance was not touched during the recent renovation.