Neighbors Blame Loud Party for Fatal Sofia Balcony Incident

Stunned neighbors look at the balcony, whose railing broke in downtown Sofia, sending 3 young people to the pavement and killing one of them. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

There has been a loud party in the apartment which became the scene of a tragedy overnight when three people fell from a balcony in downtown Sofia after the railing collapsed.

The news was reported by Darik radio Saturday, citing a neighbor, Dilyana Simeonova.

Simeonova says someone ran from the middle of the living room and smashed the railing, which collapsed, taking down the three people who were on the balcony.

The neighbor further explained she felt sorry for not calling the police at midnight, which would have prevented the tragedy.

"A loud noise began around 10:30 pm – music, dancing, and yelling. Minutes before 4 am we heart something like an explosion, looked down and saw three bodies on the pavement" Simeonova informed.

The neighbors had difficulty calling the emergency room because the building had been left without phones for a month and a half over the City Hall cutting the cables, illegally hanging on the outside walls. People from nearby buildings were able to summon the ambulance, which arrived quickly, but the police line had been busy all the time.

Simeonova is adamant the building is safe and very strong, saying it was built by Germans. She also insists the owners are not to blame.

"This same building survived an explosion in a nearby club, and only suffered broken glass," she pointed out.

The neighbor says she is yet to be interrogated by the police.

Authorities have vowed to probe the case in detail.

A 25-year old man, reportedly a Czech citizen, was killed in the incident which happened right in the heart of downtown Sofia, on "Neofit Rilski" street.

A 19-year-old girl, M.P., was listed in critical condition at the emergency "Pirogov" hospital, and her life is in danger. She has been placed on a respirator.

The other injured woman, who is listed in serious, but stable condition, has been identified as Radoslava Topalova, a music editor with the "Horizont" (Horizon) program of the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR.

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