Prosecutors in Serbia arrest 11 people over roof collapse at train station that killed 15 people
Eleven people have been arrested in Serbia in connection with a roof collapse early this month at a train station in the northern city of Novi Sad that killed 15 people and severely injured two
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Eleven people have been arrested in Serbia in connection with a roof collapse early this month at a train station in the northern city of Novi Sad that killed 15 people and severely injured two others, prosecutors said Thursday.
The suspects, who have not been identified, face charges of committing criminal acts against public security, causing public danger and irregular construction work, the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad said in a statement.
Serbian media reported that Goran Vesic, who resigned as construction minister after the collapse, was among those detained.
The arrests came after a wave of protests erupted over the tragedy demanding that those responsible be brought to justice and punished. Many in Serbia believe that the roof crash was the result of rampant corruption and lack of transparency that led to sloppy work in the renovation of the station building.
Opposition lawmakers and other protesters on Wednesday scuffled with police outside the court building in Novi Sad for a third day in a row, demanding indictments over the roof collapse and the release from detention of activists who were jailed during earlier rallies.
The railway station building in Novi Sad was originally built in 1964. It was renovated twice in recent years as part of a wider infrastructure deal with Chinese state companies.
The huge roof suddenly crashed on Nov. 1, falling on the people sitting or strolling below. Initially, 14 people died and three were severely injured, but one of the injured people died on Sunday.