The bodies of eight people were removed from the rubble of shed at the railway station in Novi Sad, northern Serbia, which collapsed earlier today, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic was quoted as saying by Serbian media. More than 30 people were injured, confirmed the mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Djuric, quoted by BTA.
„Eight bodies were pulled out from under the rubble, two people are in hospital, and one is in a very serious condition, as both legs had to be amputated,” said Dacic, quoted by TANYUG. “We are in contact with two more people who are under the rubble“.
The Serbian Interior Minister, as well as Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, arrived earlier today in Novi Sad and gave a press conference. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is also expected to arrive later today and address the media.
At the scene of the accident, there are many emergency vehicles, as well as excavators and heavy machinery for clearing the collapsed parts of the railway station building, notes the Serbian editorial of the regional website En 1. Both firefighters and gendarmerie have arrived at the scene . Nearly 80 people are involved in the clearing and rescue efforts.
„This is a big, terrible tragedy for Novi Sad and for all of Serbia. On behalf of the Serbian government and on my own behalf and on behalf of all citizens, I want to express my condolences to the families of those who died,”, the Serbian Prime Minister pointed out at the railway station in Novi Sad and added that he will insist on an investigation and establishing the blame for the accident.
The station in Novi Sad was built in 1964 and was renovated for the first time in 2021, notes the Serbian edition of "Radio Free Europe". A few months later, renovations began again, and the official opening of the renovated building was on July 5 of this year. The company “Infrastructure of Serbian Railways“ announced that the canopy that fell today “was not subject to the repair within the framework of the renovation of the station building, which is part of the project to build a fast line Novi Sad-Subotica”.