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Serbia opens probe into railway structure catastrophe that eliminated 14

Serbia ended up a. rescue operation and opened an examination on Saturday into a. roof collapse that eliminated 14 and hurt 3 at a train. station in the northern city of Novi Sad.

The disaster occurred on Friday when a length of roofing. along the entryway to the station collapsed on a sunny day. Rescuers worked into the night, using heavy building. machinery, to free the dead and wounded from under the debris.

The station in the city about 70 km (40 miles) northwest of. Belgrade had been undergoing restoration work.

Transport Minister Goran Vesic stated the inquiry, opened by. authorities in Novi Sad, would include the state Traffic. Institute, state railway company and the Chinese consortium that. has been undertaking the renovation work.

The examination will figure out ... who made decisions and. put seals and signatures, who was in charge of controlling the. ( quality of) works, Vesic said in a TV broadcast.

Vesic, state Serbian Railways company, the state Traffic. Institute and the Chinese consortium - China Train. International Co. Ltd and China Communications Construction. Business (CRIC-CCCC), that was renovating the building, all stated. that the part of the building that collapsed was not a part of. the works.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated 20 individuals would be. spoken with by authorities on Saturday in connection with the. catastrophe, consisting of individuals from the ministry in charge and the. state railways operator.

The documentation about the building will (also) be. obtained ... about who made the decisions, Dacic included.

Authorities declared Saturday a national day of mourning.

On Saturday morning, people brought flowers and lit candle lights. near the site. Employees were removing the last of the. debris.

Serbia's opposition, which accuses authorities faithful to. President Aleksandar Vucic of rampant corruption, nepotism and. extreme red tape, called for a protest in downtown Novi Sad. later on in the day.

Vucic, a populist, and his allies deny such claims. In. a televised address late on Friday the president promised. justice and demanded extreme penalty for those responsible. As he spoke, numerous individuals lit candles at a vigil outside. the municipal government to honour the victims of the catastrophe. Sorrow was. gradually developing into anger.

We demand to understand who is accountable for this due to the fact that. somebody is, stated 27-year old homeowner Mila Jovic, who attended. the vigil.

(source: Reuters)