Woman rescued from 'trash house'

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Fri, September 29, 2023 | 15:14

Oddly Enough

Woman rescued from 'trash house'

Posted : 2017-09-05 17:16

Updated : 2017-09-05 17:14

/ Yonhap

By Hwang Ga-yeon, Park Si-soo

/ Yonhap

A woman was rescued from a house crammed to the ceiling with discarded goods collected from the streets, police said Tuesday.

Rescue workers found the woman, 79, slumped in a trash-packed room after they struggled through tons of hoarded items on Friday.

They took nearly 40 minutes to reach her just meters away from the entrance, Yonhap News Agency reports, citing rescuers. She was taken to a hospital, and has recovered.

For five years, the son had habitually brought home abandoned clothes, paper boxes, plastic bottles and other items, filling the 42-square-meter dwelling to the ceiling with what neighbors called "trash." Police said the woman lived with her only son, 58, who had a hoarding disorder, in Songtan, Gyeonggi Province.

His neighbors had complained about the smell from the house, but to no avail.

The neighbors are seeking his approval to dump the items, which are regarded as private property under the law.

Compulsive hoarding is an inability or unwillingness to discard objects regardless of needs. It can seriously limit daily activities, causing health risks, impaired functioning and an economic burden.

The cause and possible remedy are not clear, although specialists suggest that insecurity may be the cause.

pss@ktimes.com