NOVI SAD: Fourteen people were killed on Friday after part of an outdoor roof collapsed at a train station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, the interior minister said.

Vesna Turkulov — the director of the clinical centre of Vojvodina — told reporters that three people who had been pulled from the rubble were in a serious condition, two of whom were undergoing operations. “The injuries are very severe,” the doctor added.

Earlier, the interior minister said rescuers were working to free multiple people trapped beneath the wreckage of the roof.

Cranes and excavators worked alongside emergency responders digging through the rubble to search for the survivors, according to a photographer at the scene.

“The operation is still ongoing and extremely challenging. Over 80 rescuers are involved, with the assistance of heavy machinery,” Dacic said.

The Serbian government said an official day of mourning would be held on Saturday, according to a statement published by the country’s state broadcaster.

The Blood Trans­fusion Institute in Novi Sad also called on residents to donate blood following the accident.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2024