A Serbian court on Saturday ordered 10 people, including a former minister, to be detained for up to 30 days over the collapse of a concrete awning at Novi Sad railway station on 1 November, killing 15 people.
Another two people were placed under house arrest, AFP reports.
Local media reported that Goran Vesic, who resigned as Serbia’s construction minister after the collapse, and Jelena Tanasković, who this week stepped down as acting director of the state-run railway company, were among those arrested.
The collapse occurred after the station was renovated. After the collapse, state officials and the contracting consortium said the renovation did not include work on the awning.
Public demonstrations broke out after the disaster, with some blaming the deaths on corruption and inadequate oversight of a public-sector project.
The main target of the protests was the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, and centred on calls for Vesic to step down.
State broadcaster RTS reported that Tanaskovic and another suspect had been placed under house arrest with electronic surveillance for three months.
Other detainees are suspected of violations of public safety.
- Subscribe here to get stories about construction around the world in your inbox three times a week
Further reading:
