Man in his sixties found dead in Queenstown flat after days unnoticed
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/20...dead-in-queenstown-flat-after-days-unnoticed/
On 12 June 2025, a man in his sixties was found dead in his Queenstown flat, several days after his passing.
The incident occurred around 10 pm at Block 49, Stirling Road.
According to a report by Chinese daily
Shin Min Daily News, the man, nicknamed “Ah Fei,” was discovered after residents reported a strong odour.
One neighbour, who had known the deceased for over 20 years, said the smell had been noticeable for several days.
Wang, 60, a private hire driver, explained that residents initially thought it was a dead rodent.
However, suspicions grew after “Ah Fei” was not seen for nearly a week. Repeated knocks on his door went unanswered, and the stench intensified.
This prompted neighbours to call the police, who later confirmed the man’s death.
Victim had history of heart surgery and ceased work months ago
Wang shared that the deceased had previously worked as a taxi driver before switching to private hire and eventually taking on a job managing trolleys at the airport.
About six months ago, “Ah Fei” underwent heart surgery due to cardiovascular blockage and had since stopped working.
A different neighbour, who declined to be named, noted that the smell had been noticeable in recent days. A town council cleaner even asked residents if they had noticed it.
“I never imagined someone had died,” the neighbour added.
“It wasn’t until the police arrived that I realised he had been dead for days.”
String of solitary deaths raises alarm over senior isolation in urban Singapore
This case adds to a series of similar deaths in recent months, sparking concerns about elderly people living alone without adequate support.
On 31 May 2025, the body of an 81-year-old man was
found in his rental flat at Block 117, Bukit Merah View. He had been dead for some time.
On 1 May 2025, Lianhe
Zaobao reported the case of a man in his seventies found dead in his home at Block 8 North Bridge Road. Neighbours said they had recently seen him greeting people before his sudden death.
In March, a
71-year-old man’s skeletal remains were found in his Sims Place flat after workers spotted the body through a window while using a gondola system.
On 15 December 2024, the
decomposing bodies of 71-year-old Lim Eng Keong and 67-year-old Mary Ong were found in their Jurong flat. Both were believed to have died of natural causes.
Then-MP for Jurong Spring ward, Shawn Huang, described the couple as active and friendly participants at a local Active Ageing Centre. He emphasised the need for stronger community support for seniors.
Data tracking gaps
Concerns have also been raised in Parliament over the lack of data on elderly people who die alone.
According to
The Straits Times, the Ministry of Health does not track such deaths, though the Health Sciences Authority handles fewer than 100 unclaimed bodies annually.
The police also
do not keep statistics on such cases, a point confirmed by Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam on 7 August 2024.
Workers’ Party MP Dennis Tan questioned whether relevant agencies receive data on such cases to help prevent future incidents. Shanmugam said that while police do not track the data, they refer isolated seniors encountered during patrols to appropriate services.
Parliamentary calls for improvement
In May 2023, MP Yip Hon Weng
proposed better monitoring and intervention for seniors resistant to community engagement. He stressed that tracking such cases could prevent similar deaths.
Minister of State for National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim cited initiatives under the Ageing Action Plan, including the Live Well, Age Well programme and outreach by Silver Generation Ambassadors.
However, he acknowledged the importance of broader community involvement to identify at-risk seniors.
Dennis Tan also called for increased resources for Active Ageing Centres and better access for staff to check on seniors.
The Online Citizen has begun
documenting solitary deaths in Singapore through its politicalsg wiki, providing a centralised resource for tracking such incidents.