Three children died in Jabllanicë, Kosovo, after an abandoned building collapsed. Authorities have launched an investigation into the tragic incident.
Three children lost their lives on Saturday in the village of Jabllanicë, Gjakovë, after an old, abandoned building collapsed under unknown circumstances, according to the Kosovo Police.
The victims, two 15-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy, were inside the structure when they were trapped under falling debris. Kosovo Police Major Milazim Lumi stated that the building had been uninhabited since the 1999 Kosovo war.
Emergency services, including police, medical teams, and firefighters, responded quickly to the scene, but the children were found lifeless. Their bodies have been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for autopsy.
A relative of the victims told local media that the boys had gone out to play hours before the collapse. Their families realized something was wrong when their phone calls went unanswered. CCTV footage from nearby houses reportedly shows the building collapsing at around 16:35, while the bodies were discovered nearly four hours later.
Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani expressed deep condolences, calling the incident a tragic loss.
“There are no words to ease the pain of families facing the immense void left by the loss of their loved ones,” Osmani stated in a Facebook post.
Parliament Speaker Glauk Konjufca has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
Gjakovë Mayor Ardian Gjini also expressed his grief, pledging support for the affected families.
“We must do everything possible to stand by these families in their darkest moments,” he wrote on Facebook.
Prishtina Mayor Përparim Rama offered his condolences and promised assistance from the capital city.
“This tragedy reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure a safer environment for everyone,” Rama stated.
Several other high-ranking officials in Kosovo have also expressed their sorrow over the heartbreaking incident.
Authorities are expected to conduct an in-depth investigation to determine whether neglect or structural risks contributed to the collapse.
