The body of a 60-year-old man was found in a state of decomposition in his Chai Chee flat on Jul. 30 after his neighbour complained to the nearby Active Aging Centre (AAC) about an odour that persisted for days.

Police confirmed with Mothership that they were alerted to a case of unnatural death at Block 22 Chai Chee Road at about 11:15am.

The man was found lying motionless in a residential unit and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Odour persisted for 5 days

The deceased's next-door neighbour, surnamed Huang (transliteration) told Shin Min Daily News that she had detected a strange smell since Jul. 26 noon.

Chen said the smell got more intense over the next few days till she could no longer take it.

So she notified an officer at the AAC below her block about the matter on Jul. 30.

"I thought the smell was from a dead rat, but when the officer called the police, that's when I realised my neighbour had died in his home," Chen said.

Deceased largely kept to himself: Neighbour

Chen added that the deceased had been staying there for about three to four years, and largely kept to himself.

She also heard that he was previously hospitalised for cancer.

A Shin Min reporter observed a flyer on the gate of the deceased's flat with the contact details of the Silver Generation Office, the outreach arm of the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).

Another resident told Shin Min that they saw police officers bringing away the man's dead body at about 2pm.

Police do not suspect foul play

Police told Mothership that based on preliminary investigations, they do not suspect foul play.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Top image from Google Street View/ Shin Min Daily News