Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse
On 1 November 2024, the concrete canopy of the main railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia, collapsed onto the busy pavement below, killing 15 people and severely injuring two more.The collapse spawned a series of mass protests in Novi Sad, which then spread throughout Serbia, fueled by dissatisfaction with other issues including government corruption and media censorship.[2][3] The station stood in its original form for 57 years, without substantial renovations,[5] and by the early 2000s, it had become relatively decrepit and unhygienic, with some of its facilities and equipment out of operation.An upgrade of the city's station infrastructure and renovation of the station building began in 2021, according to the technical documents[b] developed by the state-owned Saobraćajni institut CIP, while construction supervision was given to the consortium of six engineering firms where Egis was supervising engineer,[13][14] while Utiber (headquartered in Hungary with a bureau in Novi Sad) was at the head consortium.[20][19] According to CIP's technical document, the station building was "in good condition constructionally, and no damage affecting the stability of the structure [was] observed through visual inspection" prior to the start of works.This request was denied, as CRIC-CCCC objected to sharing contract details with third parties until the project's completion and confirmation of satisfactory work.[28][29] About 80 rescuers from multiple cities across Serbia used heavy machinery, including excavators and cranes, to pull debris off the collapse site.[46] The following day, Mayor of Novi Sad Milan Đurić stated that forensic investigators are examining the debris, that the cause of the disaster is unknown, that the investigation needs to conclude before any talk of resignations, that the rest of the structure appears to be in normal condition, and appealed to citizens to "trust the state and the system", adding that the individuals responsible will be held accountable.[48] On 3 November, protests were held in front of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure in Belgrade calling for the resignation and arrest of officials deemed responsible for the disaster.[33] On 4 November, construction minister Goran Vesić announced his resignation, pending acknowledgement by the National Assembly, scheduled for the next day, while stating that he "does not accept guilt".
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