NOVI SAD (Serbia), Nov 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mourners lit candles and laid flowers in northern Serbia on Saturday, as authorities launched a probe after 14 people were killed in a train station roof collapse.
The incident happened early on Friday at the main train station in the northern city of Novi Sad.
A makeshift memorial near the station was filled with candles and flowers on Saturday as residents expressed their anger and disbelief for the tragedy.
“This shouldn’t have happened, it is alarming and no one has an explanation for what happened”, public servant Ivana Popnovakov, 28 said.
“It is weird, they have done that renovation last year and no one paid attention. Simply unbelievable. Terrible”, pensioner Ljiljana Radulovic, 75, said.
More memorial gatherings were planning to be held later on Saturday.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on Saturday that “determining responsibility started today”.
Dadic told TV Prava that the prosecutor’s office would be questioning 20 people, “starting from the top, people from the ministries, the public company (Serbia) Railways”.
He said that police were seizing documents related to the railway station from the ministry of construction, transport and infrastructure.
It said in a statement that it had ordered the “minister for construction, transport and infrastructure be questioned”.
The central railway station in Novi Sad underwent three years of renovation that was completed in July.
Serbia Railways said in a statement that the collapsed roof had not been part of the renovations.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed his condolences and support for the victims’ relatives and vowed to take action.
“Those responsible, I assure you, will be punished,” the president said on Friday.
Three people who were injured in the incident remain in a serious condition, the University Clinic Center of Vojvodina said.
Several heads of state have sent condolences, among them Croatia, Russia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Greece.
“I ask you to convey my heartfelt sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of the victims”, Russian president Vladimir Putin wrote to his Serbian counterpart Vucic.
Serbia has said Saturday would be a day of mourning for the victims, while the city of Novi Sad and the region of Vojvodina were to hold three days of mourning. — NNN-AGENCIES
