2 elderly men found dead at Chinatown & Toa Payoh flats, both lived alone

Foul smell detected at both Chinatown & Toa Payoh blocks before both elderly men were found dead

In a span of two days, two elderly men were found dead in separate flats in Chinatown and Toa Payoh.

Both lived alone and were discovered only after neighbours noticed a foul smell emanating from their units.

Peculiar smell detected in Chinatown block

The first case occurred on Wednesday (2 Oct) evening, reported Shin Min Daily News.

A 72-year-old man was found dead in his fifth-floor flat at Block 5 Banda Street, located near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

A 50-year-old convenience store worker, who was his neighbour, told Shin Min that she had noticed a peculiar odour a few days earlier and lit mosquito coils to mask the smell.

Her husband, a 60-year-old security guard, noted that many residents in the block were elderly and lived alone, making it difficult to identify who had passed away.

A social worker, named only as 43-year-old Mr Shen (transliterated from Mandarin), said that residents alerted him to the smell.

After investigating by going from door to door with the help of neighbours, they determined the source was the deceased’s unit and called the police.

When reporters arrived, part of the corridor had been cordoned off by police, and a pungent stench filled the air.

72-year-old man found dead in Chinatown flat

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed it was alerted to the situation at about 7.30pm on 2 Oct.

They found the 72-year-old man in his unit and pronounced him dead on the scene.

Preliminary investigations suggest no foul play, though investigations are ongoing.

Elderly man found dead in Chinatown unit lived alone

Mr Shen told Shin Min that the deceased was a loner who rarely took part in community activities.

The man, who previously worked as a security guard, had stopped working two years ago due to a heart condition.

Three months ago, he had asked the social worker to help him renew his licence as he wanted to go back to work.

76-year-old man found dead in Toa Payoh flat

The second incident occurred on Thursday (3 Oct) morning at Block 15 Toa Payoh Lorong 7.

A 76-year-old man, who hadn’t been seen for five days, was found dead in his seventh-floor flat.

When reporters arrived, the area was secured by police officers, and a strong odour permeated the air.

According to SPF, the 76-year-old man was found motionless, and preliminary investigations ruled out homicide. Further investigations are ongoing.

Deceased believed to have died in his sleep

The deceased’s 50-year-old son, Mr Lan (transliterated from Mandarin), shared that his father had lived alone following his parents’ divorce more than 30 years ago.

His father later remarried a woman from Batam, but she only visited occasionally.

Mr Lan, who came down after being notified by the police, said that his father was discovered lying in bed, and it is believed that he passed away in his sleep.

Also read: 67-year-old man found dead in Kallang home, friend alerted police after he missed breakfast

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.