'Some even vomited': Punggol neighbours' hunt for foul smell reveals body in flat

A pungent odour lingering in the air led a group of concerned neighbours in Punggol to discover the decomposing body of a 59-year-old man inside his flat.

The incident unfolded at Block 233A Sumang Lane on Aug 9, leaving residents of the eighth storey reeling from the find.

Recounting the events leading up to the discovery, 70-year-old retiree Awa shared that the foul smell had plagued her flat for days, forcing her to keep her windows tightly shut and eat all her meals in the kitchen.

"I haven't been able to eat properly for the past two days because the smell was so bad," she told Shin Min Daily News.

Determined to locate the source of the unbearable stench, Madam Awa, accompanied by her daughter, went door to door on Aug 8. They traced the odour to a particular unit but received no response after knocking.

Undeterred, Madam Awa sought help from residents on the 14th storey the next morning.

"At around 11 am, I went up to ask for help, hoping someone could do something about it," she explained.

News of the persistent foul smell spread quickly, and a group of residents from the 10th and 14th storeys joined forces to investigate.

Among them was 19-year-old student He Xinying, who recounted, "At first, we thought Madam Awa was unwell, but then we realised there was indeed a terrible smell. That's when we decided to call the police."

The stench proved overwhelming for some, with He revealing, "Some of us even vomited after catching a whiff of the stench from the stairwell."

Responding to queries, the police confirmed the incident, stating that a 59-year-old man was found dead in his flat. No foul play is suspected.

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This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.