Elderly man found living in Irbid cave offered housing, aid

AMMAN — A man in his 70s was found in Irbid’s Bani Kinanah living in an underground cave on Tuesday, prompting members of the Public Security Department (PSD) to offer him winter gear, money and an apartment, according to a security source.

The 72-year-old man refused to leave the cave despite being offered a place to live or a spot in a home for the elderly, a PSD official said on condition of anonymity. 

“The man is not married and doesn’t have children; he only has an income of JD45 from the Ministry of Social Development,” the official told The Jordan Times.  

The PSD northern region commander saw the news about the man's living circumstances in posts by residents and passers-by on social media sites.

“PSD members visited the man earlier today and offered him a rented apartment, JD200, clothes, heaters, and blankets. [The cave] is a very dangerous place to be — not suitable for humans,” the security source added. 

He said the cave belonged to a woman who rented it to the man for JD5 per month; after the owner died, the man continued living there.

“The condition of the cave is terrible. In winter, water pours inside, while in summer, snakes and dangerous insects enter the place.” 

After the initiative was announced, PSD members received many donations from citizens to help the 72-year-old.

“A Jordanian citizen living in the UAE offered the man a monthly salary of JD150 and another citizen offered him a trailer next to the place where he lives,” the officer told The Jordan Times. 

Another official said the department cannot “accept” such cases, so they have given the man a choice between moving to a home for the elderly or accepting the offer to live in an apartment. 

“It is important to make sure he has a safe place to live and provide him with the minimum requirements for life,” he said.