A 78-year-old man whose body was found in a stairwell at SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar likely became disoriented before his death, a coroner’s inquiry revealed. State Coroner Adam Nakhoda concluded that there was no foul play, citing hypertensive heart disease as the cause.
The man, Soh Eng Thong, had left his Haig Road home on 27 August 2021, telling his family he was attending a wake. He never returned. Five days later, a cleaner discovered his body in a basement car park stairwell after detecting a foul smell. Investigations showed no signs of trauma, but medical history indicated poorly managed hypertension, leading to an enlarged heart.
Although Soh’s family maintained he did not suffer from dementia, the coroner noted signs of confusion in his final hours. Surveillance footage captured him wandering around SingPost Centre’s loading bay, leaving and re-entering the mall, before entering the stairwell just before midnight. In a phone call to his son that night, he claimed to still be at the wake — which did not exist.
Locked Stairwell Doors Raised Safety Concerns
The inquiry heard that the stairwell where Soh was found had one-way locking mechanisms, allowing exit only at Level 1. This contravened the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire code, which prohibits such locks on stairwells beside fire lift lobbies. The building’s architect testified that he was unaware of the lock change, which was also absent from approved drawings.
A project manager told the court the locks were altered from two-way to one-way on instruction, and the building had passed SCDF inspection at the time. A former security officer said the locks were intended to prevent re-entry into the mall for security purposes.
Lessons for Building Safety and Elderly Care
While the coroner stressed that the inquiry was not about assigning blame, the case highlights two critical issues: the importance of adhering to fire safety regulations, and the vulnerability of elderly individuals with medical conditions when navigating public spaces.
Authorities may now scrutinise building access mechanisms more closely to prevent similar tragedies. For families, this serves as a sobering reminder to ensure elderly loved ones with health concerns have proper monitoring, especially when travelling alone.
This incident, blending public safety, compliance oversight, and elderly welfare, underscores the need for both regulatory diligence and community vigilance to safeguard lives.