Hatay residents demand safety measures at dangerous 'accident hill

Residents in the Dursunlu Neighborhood of Defne, Hatay, are demanding urgent safety measures for a steep road known as the ‘accident hill.’ The area gained notoriety after a sand-laden truck slid backward, killing 65-year-old Sakine Altınöz, a mother of ten, while she was picking figs in a garden.

Local citizens report that recent asphalt work performed by the Defne Municipality has failed to resolve the danger. Following recent rainfall, gaps have formed in the road as sand beneath the new asphalt washed away. Furthermore, business owners claim the new paving causes rainwater to flood their shops, making it difficult for vehicles to navigate the incline.

Rather than further asphalt applications, residents and family members of victims, including Engin Yeşilova, are calling for the construction of a retaining wall to prevent vehicles from sliding into adjacent properties and to ensure long-term stability before winter arrives.