'He wasn't forgotten': With no family to see him off, charity gives Circuit Road fire victim final farewell

He may have died alone, but he was not alone in death.

After his family declined to claim his body, a 70-year-old man could have left this world unnoticed. Instead, volunteers walked alongside his coffin and ensured he was given a proper farewell. 

At the request of MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC Tin Pei Ling, Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society arranged the funeral and cremation of the Circuit Road fire victim.

In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday (Aug 4), the charity welfare organisation documented the funeral procession, showing Cheng Hong staff and volunteers accompanying the man's coffin before his cremation.

"When this uncle passed away in the fire, his family made the difficult decision not to arrange his funeral. They were estranged," said the organisation.  

"He had no family to bury him. Cheng Hong made sure he wasn't forgotten."

@asiaone The man died after a fire broke out in his ninth-floor HDB flat at Block 39 Circuit Road at about 2.05am on July 28. #sgnews #singapore #funeral ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

The man died after a fire broke out in his ninth-floor HDB flat at Block 39 Circuit Road at about 2.05am on July 28.

Following the incident, Tin said the man had been estranged from his family and had been living alone while relying on payouts under the Silver Support Scheme.

She added that when the authorities contacted his family after his death, they declined to claim his body or make funeral arrangements.

With no one to make arrangements for him, Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society stepped in to oversee his final rites after being approached by Tin.

AsiaOne has reached out to Tin and Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society for more information. 

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com