Malaysia

Discovery of rotting body in Penang apartment sparks Covid-19 fears

Management claims death may be due to heart attack, but neighbours think otherwise

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 29 Jan 2021 3:40PM

Discovery of rotting body in Penang apartment sparks Covid-19 fears
The dead and rotting body of a man has been found after neighbours, who noticed an odour wafting into their apartment unit, placed an emergency call to the Fire and Rescue Department. – File pic, January 29, 2021

by Rachel Yeoh

GEORGE TOWN – The rotting body of a man was found in an apartment unit of a building on Thean Teik Highway in Air Itam today.

His immediate neighbours said they have no idea of what may have occurred.

However, after detecting a strange odour wafting into their home, residents in the unit above the victim’s placed an emergency call to the Fire and Rescue Department.

The apartment management believes that the man may have died of a heart attack, but neighbours fear that it could be due to Covid-19.

“We will not know the cause of death until post-mortem is done,” one of the neighbours said.

“When I opened my door this morning, firefighters were trying to break into the (victim’s) home.

“It was then that I could smell the odour. According to the authorities, they said he could have been dead for five to six days.

“I know the uncle. He was a very quiet and pleasant man. He worked odd jobs for a living, stayed alone and never had any visitor. He had been my neighbour for the past decade.”

Fire and Rescue Department personnel prying open the front door of an apartment unit of a building on Thean Teik Highway, Air Itam, Penang. – File pic, January 29, 2021
Fire and Rescue Department personnel prying open the front door of an apartment unit of a building on Thean Teik Highway, Air Itam, Penang. – File pic, January 29, 2021

A department spokesman said the department received an emergency call at 11.01am.

He said a team from the Paya Terubong Fire and Rescue station was despatched to the scene.

“Upon arrival, the team found that the door of the victim’s house was locked and had to be removed using special equipment.”

He said the remains were handed over to police to be sent to Penang Hospital for further action. – The Vibes, January 29, 2021

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