06.05.2026 22:33
In the Gebze district of Kocaeli, a 60-year-old man who continued living in his apartment after losing it through foreclosure was found exhausted amid a truckload of trash in his home, where he had not stepped outside for a year. Rescued by municipal teams and placed in a shelter, S.K. said, 'I faint when I stand for long periods. I haven't gone out for a year. May God bless the municipality and neighbors for bringing food, but I can't eat most of it. I can't go to the trash.'
In the Gebze district of Kocaeli, the apartment where a man living alone resided was cleaned and disinfected by municipal teams following a complaint about a bad odor. It was reported that the apartment belonged to the man but was sold through foreclosure, and he had not left the house for a year after the sale, and the buyer had applied to the district governorship for eviction.
According to the information obtained, residents of an apartment building in Mustafapaşa District reported the situation to the police and the neighborhood headman due to heavy odors coming from a second-floor apartment and not hearing from the occupant, S.K. Upon the notification, the police arrived at the scene and, upon opening the door, encountered piles of trash reaching the ceiling and an elderly man exhausted among the piles.
HADN'T LEFT HOME FOR A YEAR It was determined that S.K., who lost his spouse 20 years ago and has two children living in different cities, had not gone outside his home for about a year. It was learned that the elderly man, whose mobility was restricted due to health issues and frequent fainting, received his basic needs during this process from neighbors who left food at his door and municipal teams. Handed over to Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality teams, S.K. was placed under protection by being settled in the municipality's shelter center after health checks.
Teams from the Gebze Municipality Cleaning Affairs Directorate were also dispatched to the address. Starting a cleaning operation, the teams removed truckloads of trash from the home after lengthy efforts. The trash loaded onto the truck was taken away for disposal. The home, completely cleared of trash, was sprayed and disinfected. Additionally, it was understood that S.K. had never left his apartment, which he had lost through foreclosure about 1.5 years ago.
"I CAN'T GO TO THE TRASH" Stating that he has difficulty standing and cannot go to the trash due to his condition, S.K. said, "When I stand for a long time, I faint. I can't stand for long periods. One of my children got married in Bursa, the other works in Ankara. They visit occasionally. I haven't gone outside for a year. Thank God, the municipality and neighbors bring food, but I can't eat most of it. I can't go to the trash. Apparently, there is a place for the elderly; it would be good if they could place me in such a place."
"THE GENTLEMAN HARMED BOTH THE HOUSE AND HIMSELF" Ufuk Aksu, who bought the apartment through foreclosure as an investment 1.5 years ago, realized that someone was living in his property when he came from Istanbul to Gebze upon the neighbors' notification. Aksu said, "The neighbors called and told me I needed to come. When I arrived, I learned that the gentleman was living here. We applied to the district governorship, asking 'What can we do in this situation?' The governorship told us that we needed to go to court. The gentleman harmed both the house and himself. There are medical risks as well as a fire risk that could negatively affect the environment. Police teams came and cleaned the inside, and the gentleman was taken to the hospital. I hope a suitable place is arranged for him. As for the building, we have concerns about its stability. We will start discussions with municipalities. If it is not safe, we will request its demolition."