Shocked faces, steam-powered grapples, closed roads, ambulances rushing away from the scene – this is the sight that greeted us on Friday evening at the railway station in Novi Sad, where the roof structure of the railway station collapsed during the afternoon. According to the latest information, fourteen people, including a six-year-old child, lost their lives during the tragedy, and at least thirty were injured.
The train station is located a few kilometers from the center of Novi Sad, in one of the busiest areas of the city. The collapsed building is located next to a four-lane road, one side of which was closed by the authorities a few hours after the accident. All of this so that work machines, police, ambulance and fire engines can move freely. Dozens of drivers are queuing up in one lane of the traffic-free road section to load their trucks with the debris of the collapsed part of the building.
I slept. My boss called me on the phone and told me what happened in a state of shock. You don’t ask at this time. In an emergency like this, we need to come together. As soon as I could, I went to the scene
– says one of them. He believes that they can even work until Saturday morning to clear the ruins.
The drivers do not know how many trucks they have loaded with debris so far. As they say, the line moves quickly, and new trucks keep arriving behind them. The law enforcement forces surrounded the scene with cordons, manpower, and various vehicles. Even with a journalist’s ID, we can only move around the area to a limited extent. Grabbing machines, rescue and firefighting teams are working non-stop with great force to free those trapped under the rubble.
Opposite the works, the crowd follows the developments behind the police tape, with shocked faces. Those arriving at the scene light candles for the victims. Some people place red roses on the asphalt.
A man watches Aleksandar Vucsic’s speech live on his phone. When the Serbian president promises that those responsible for the tragedy will be prosecuted, the man notes that “the accident can certainly be connected with the renovation of the building.” Several of the attendees we interviewed suspect this. Recently, due to the construction of the Belgrade-Budapest railway line, the railway station in Novi Sad has been renovated several times.
According to our information, the roof structure, which has now collapsed, has not been touched since 1965, but repairs were carried out around it. The most recent renovation was handed over in July.
According to our estimates, the collapsed roof structure was about thirty meters long, supported by eight concrete columns. In addition to the Serbian citizens, there is also a North Macedonian citizen among the victims. It is not known about the Hungarians involved, but five victims have not yet been identified. Four people were taken to hospital, an 18-year-old boy’s leg had to be amputated, and two twenty-year-old girls are in a life-threatening condition. National mourning was announced for Saturday in Serbia, and three days of mourning will be held in Novi Sad.
Cover image: Illustration (Photo: Áron Ternovácz)
Source: magyarnemzet.hu
