Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a case pops up that throws common sense and safety out the window! In Lazarevac, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office is demanding a 30-day detention for V.R., a man who, along with the owner and director of the company Eko Remont, caused a disaster by leaking carbolic acid – phenol! Yes, you read that right, phenol, a dangerous chemical, leaked from a tanker and poisoned three police officers who were securing the scene. And that’s not all – the company owner D.M. is missing and wanted by Serbian authorities.
What’s going on here? V.R. and D.M. are suspected of causing general danger, illegally importing dangerous substances into Serbia, unauthorized processing, disposal, and storage of hazardous materials. The phenol they procured, transported, and stored was not handled properly. Three trailer vehicles, i.e., tankers, were filled with this toxic substance. After an emergency inspection, V.R. transported the tankers to another site, but from one vehicle, the dangerous material leaked and caused poisoning of police officers V.I., A.A., and J.J.
Is this just an accident or a systemic disaster? How is it possible that such dangerous substances are transported and stored without proper control? Three police officers paid the price for irresponsibility – their health endangered due to someone’s recklessness and negligence.
While V.R. is in custody, D.M. remains at large, and the investigation continues. This case raises serious questions about chemical safety in Serbia and how ready the authorities are to respond to such dangers.
If you think this is just another news story that will quickly be forgotten, think again. The poisoning of police officers is not just a number – these are lives, health, and safety of all of us. So, who will be held accountable for this disaster?
While we wait for answers, maybe it’s time for all of us to think about how much safety depends on us. What do you think – is this just the tip of the iceberg or the start of something much bigger? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just say – who’s next? Because safety isn’t a game, and someone seriously dropped the ball here.
