The station under construction in 1964. Photo courtesy of the Historical Archive of Novi Sad.

A Serbian minister resigned following the collapse of a concrete-framed railway station canopy Nov. 1 at Novi Sad, about 70 miles from Belgrade. Photos of the search and rescue operations showed beams that had failed at the building edge, bent downward with rebar exposed, and the debris from the canopy that buried the victims.

So far, the fatalities number 14 with three survivors who were severely injured and at least two who had to have limbs amputated.

Protestors who gathered in Belgrade two days later called for arrests of officials who may be found responsible for the tragedy. An opposition party tried to tie the disaster to corruption and incompetence in the current government. Serbia's Infrastructure Minister, Gordon Vesic, said he was resigning his position, the Associated Press reported.

His resignation must be accepted by the country's parliament, but after that, Vesic said in a statement, "I will no longer perform this duty."

The station, which was constructed in 1964, has been renovated twice in recent years, according to news reports. But work that took place in the vicinity of the canopy did not involve the canopy itself, Serbian officials said.

According to reports on Euronews, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević said on the day of the collapse, "this is a black Friday for us, for all of Serbia." An investigation is under way to determine what happened, he said.

Železnice Srbije, Serbia's state railway company, issued a statement that the canopy was not part of recent renovation work performed above the station entrance.

The collapse triggered accusations and demonstrations far from the railway station. The Associated Press reported that protesters demonstrated in Belgrade, coloring their hands with red paint to symbolize blood.

Protesters in Belgrade, Serbia, called for arrests of government officials over the collapsed railway station canopy in Novi Sad. Photo: AP /Darko Vojinovic