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British pensioner dies after falling through broken fence in Orihuela Costa shopping centre
The 74-year-old local woman fell from a height of three metres in Playa Flamenca Commercial Centre
A 74-year-old British woman has tragically died as a result of the injuries she suffered after falling from a height at the Playa Flamenca commercial centre in Orihuela Costa. The victim has been named locally as Hillary Phillips, a long-time resident and well-known member of the community.The accident occurred at 12.30pm on Friday July 12 close to the Help at Home Charity Shop in the commercial centre. It’s understood that Hillary was walking along a footpath when she slipped and fell through a break in the metal fence, falling around three metres onto the concrete below.
A medical team tried to stabilise the British woman for 45 minutes before she was transferred by ambulance to the University Hospital of Torrevieja. She was urgently admitted to the operating theatre with serious head and neck injuries, but tragically passed away a few hours later. Her devastated friend Priscilla was by her side.
“I’ll never get it out of my head,” Priscilla said, explaining that Hillary fell through a gap in the fencing that was being repaired at the time.
“She walked on the wrong side of where the workers were and went straight over the edge of the road, tripping and falling into the void, falling onto a service road,” she said.
Hillary had been living in Parque del Duque for almost 20 years with her husband, who passed away last year. Her son Paul travelled to the Orihuela Costa to handle the funeral arrangements, which will take place at 12pm on Tuesday July 16 at the Tanatorio Rocamer in San Pedro del Pinatar.
According to local Facebook groups, this tragedy has highlighted the urgent need for maintenance and repairs not just in the Playa Flamenca commercial centre, but throughout the Orihuela Costa. The degraded fencing has been a major bone of contention for both residents and visitors, who have been complaining about the risk for years.
Images: La Zenia Group/Facebook
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