Elderly Man Found Dead in Sembawang Flat After Neighbour Detects Foul Odour

By
Siti Hajar
-
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A 69-year-old man was found dead inside his flat at Block 478 Sembawang Drive on 5 April 2025, after his neighbour alerted authorities to a foul smell coming from the unit.

Neighbour Alerted Police After Detecting Strange Odour from Flat

The police received a call for assistance at about 10.50am on Saturday after a next-door neighbour, identified as Mr Huang (transliterated from Mandarin), 52, noticed a strong stench emanating from the elderly man’s flat.

According to Shin Min Daily News, Mr Huang had initially detected an unusual smell on Friday but dismissed it as a cleanliness issue. However, by Saturday morning, the odour had intensified significantly.

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“When I passed by his unit and smelled a strong stench through the window, I realized something might have happened,” Mr Huang explained.

After calling the elderly man’s phone number, Mr Huang heard ringing inside the flat and spotted both the phone and a wallet in the living room through the window. He also noticed flies coming out from the unit, which prompted him to call the police immediately.

“When I heard the phone ringing inside the house and saw flies flying out, I knew he must have been in trouble,” Mr Huang said.

The last time Mr Huang’s family saw the elderly resident was the previous Sunday, with nothing unusual noticed about him at that time.

Large Police Presence at Scene as Authorities Investigate Death

When reporters arrived at the scene around 1pm, two police cars were parked downstairs. A strong stench was immediately noticeable upon exiting the elevator on the 10th floor.

Seven to eight officers were present, with some entering the unit to take photographs and collect evidence as part of their investigation.

After investigations concluded, the body was removed at approximately 2pm.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed that the elderly man was pronounced dead at the scene. Based on preliminary investigations, no foul play is suspected in relation to the death.

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Deceased Lived Alone for a Decade with Limited Social Contact

According to neighbours, the elderly man had been living alone for about 10 years. Mdm Zhou, a 70-year-old retiree living downstairs, said the deceased would occasionally go for morning exercises or visit the coffee shop across the street.

Further report by MS News noted that the man’s wife had passed away from cancer, and since then, nobody had been seen visiting him, even during festive periods.

Another resident mentioned that the man had a son who moved out following a disagreement.

Mdm Zhuo, a 72-year-old retired neighbour on the same floor, said the elderly man rarely communicated with residents in the block, and she had not seen him for some time before the incident.

The discovery left neighbours shocked, with several expressing surprise at the sudden passing of the elderly resident.

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Siti Hajar