A 61-year-old man was found dead inside his Ang Mo Kio flat after concerned neighbours alerted the police upon noticing a foul smell and realising they had not seen him for about a week.
The incident took place at around 9am on Friday (17 July) at Block 510, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, where officers discovered the man lying motionless inside his third-floor unit. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with preliminary police investigations ruling out foul play. Investigations are ongoing.
Residents told Shin Min Daily News that the man had lived in the flat for more than three decades and was a familiar face in the neighbourhood.
Neighbour Raised Alarm After Detecting Foul Odour
According to neighbours, the man had a regular routine of riding his mobility scooter to a nearby coffee shop between 5am and 6am every morning. They also noticed incense was usually burnt inside his home, but both his daily outings and the familiar scent had stopped over the past week.
One resident said a social worker would leave two packed meals outside the man’s flat every evening. However, the meals were occasionally left untouched and removed the following day, so there was initially little reason to suspect something was wrong.
On the morning of 17 July, the neighbour detected a strong foul odour coming from the unit. Concerned by the smell and the man’s prolonged absence, she contacted the police.
Friends and family members later arrived at the scene after the body was discovered.
Family Says They Had Little Contact
The deceased’s 68-year-old elder brother said the family consisted of eight brothers and two sisters, with the victim being the seventh sibling.
He revealed that his younger brother had little contact with relatives over the years and would only occasionally call to borrow money.
“I haven’t seen him in four or five years,” he said.
The brother added that the man had never married and had no children. Due to severe obesity, his mobility gradually worsened, forcing him to rely on a mobility scooter to get around.
He previously worked in pest control before later taking up a job as a cleaner, but eventually stopped working because of his declining health.
According to neighbours, the man was affectionately known as “Fat Boy” because of his large build.
A resident living on the sixth floor said the deceased struggled with his weight for many years.
“He would order a large cup of black coffee and two eggs every morning at the coffee shop. I think he was trying to control his weight,” the resident said.
Police Rule Out Foul Play
The Singapore Police Force confirmed that officers responded to a report of a man found lying motionless inside a residential unit.
The 61-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary investigations indicate that foul play is not suspected, and police investigations are ongoing.
Image Source: Shin Min Daily News