94-year-old man found dead in MacPherson HDB flat, second solitary death in two days

SINGAPORE: A 94-year-old man was found dead alone in his Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in MacPherson on the morning of 24 January 2026, after volunteers detected a strong foul smell and realised he had not been seen for several days.

The discovery marked the second reported solitary death in Singapore within two days, following a similar case in Tampines earlier the same week, according to local media reports.

Police said they were alerted to a case of unnatural death at about 9.35am on 24 January 2026. Based on preliminary investigations, officers said foul play was not suspected. Investigations are ongoing.

Lived alone for more than a decade

According to residents and media reports, the elderly man had lived alone in a one-room rental flat at Block 90 Pipit Road for more than a decade.

He was described as keeping largely to himself and rarely receiving visitors.

Neighbours reported that a pungent odour had begun emanating from the unit days before the discovery.

A reddish-brown fluid was also seen seeping from beneath the front door and pooling along the corridor.

Neighbours noticed worsening smell

A neighbour, a 70-year-old woman surnamed Wu, told reporters that she had last seen the man five or six days before his body was discovered.

She said she became concerned only after the smell intensified.

Ms Wu said she initially thought the odour came from cat faeces, as stray cats were sometimes seen in the area.

“The smell kept getting stronger. I thought maybe a stray cat had died nearby,” she was quoted as saying.

Volunteers alerted police after no response

On the morning of 24 January, volunteers distributing Chinese New Year food items at the block knocked on the man’s door but received no response.

After learning the odour had persisted for days, they contacted the police.

Ms Wu added that while she exchanged greetings with the man occasionally, he generally kept his door closed and did not interact much with neighbours, even during festive periods.

Similar case reported in Tampines

The MacPherson case came shortly after another solitary death was reported in Tampines on 23 January 2026, according to Chinese-language daily Shin Min Daily News.

In that incident, the body of a 67-year-old man was found in a flat at Block 227 Tampines Street 23 at about 2.10pm. A neighbour said meals left outside the man’s door had not been collected.

The neighbour told Shin Min that he attempted to call the man, but his calls went unanswered. He later learnt that a social worker noticed the untouched food and alerted the police.

Police said preliminary investigations indicated that foul play was not suspected in the Tampines case as well. Investigations into that death are ongoing.

Parliamentary concerns over data and prevention 

According to Facebook page Death Kopitiam Singapore, the two cases were the fourth and fifth solitary deaths reported in Singapore since the start of 2026.

Solitary deaths, often involving elderly individuals living alone, have long been recognised as a social concern. Advocacy groups and social workers warn that such cases may increase as Singapore’s population continues to age.

The issue has also been raised in Parliament.

In a parliamentary query on 4 November 2025, Member of Parliament for Mountbatten SMC Gho Sze Kee asked Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung whether the Ministry of Health (MOH) would consider collecting data on lonely deaths.

According to the written reply, Ong said MOH does not maintain figures on residents who die alone in their homes.

Instead, the Government’s focus is on outreach and support for seniors, especially those living alone.

Ong said preventing such deaths requires effective outreach and befriending, involving Silver Generation Ambassadors, Active Ageing Centre volunteers, grassroots organisations, and community partners. Grassroots advisers, he added, play a key role in coordinating these efforts.

Police and agencies do not track specific figures

Similarly, the Singapore Police Force does not keep records specific to solitary deaths.

This was confirmed by Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam during a parliamentary session on 7 August 2024.

Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Dennis Tan had previously questioned whether agencies shared data on such deaths to help prevent future cases.

Shanmugam said police officers instead refer elderly individuals encountered during patrols to social services when needed.

At least 33 senior deaths went unnoticed in 2025

Figures compiled by charity Loving Heart from media reports and online platforms such as Death Kopitiam Singapore indicate that at least 33 seniors died alone and went undetected in 2025.

In 2024, at least 42 such deaths were reported.

In October 2025, Ong said in a parliamentary reply that about 87,000 residents aged 65 and above were living alone in 2024.

This represented a 50 per cent increase from 58,000 in 2018.

Sociologists and social workers have warned that without stronger social networks, more seniors could die alone. They stress that beyond policy measures, neighbourly vigilance and sustained community engagement remain crucial in preventing such tragedies.