Freyja33
19522
410
15
Edit: Cops/Property Manager said they couldn't find anything, smell's only getting worse and worse
Jul 16, 2025 5:08 PM
Freyja33
19522
410
15
Edit: Cops/Property Manager said they couldn't find anything, smell's only getting worse and worse
MyNotSoCoolAndRatherAwkwardPersona
That smell will never go away. That is apartment building ambiance
Berrai7
What kind of manager you have in your apartment? People will know when there is rotting flesh by smell.
Geminii27
So there's a body in the vents somewhere. Yaaaay...
MioTaalas
Broken waste pipe within a structure? Get ready to move, that stink will stay in your stuff for ages.
Baltzdelirium
Oof and fair
an3l3j
If not that, maybe somebody is a hoarder. Hope they solve it soon.
kydn
That's not "socially awesome". This should just be all blue socially awkward penguin
anerdwithaknife
Well, the part that is in the red section is literally awesome for OP, so it's not wrong for the meme format.
Cats2cats
And yet everybody & nobody. Noticed when someone stopped appearing in public or when the odor first started. Bad news, the smell lingers.
InablueMule
How long did people complain about the smell?
Freyja33
From roughly yesterday through to currently
alittleglassvial
My complex had someone pass and be left for two weeks in 100+ temps one year. I’ll never forget the smell. And the sound… he… *sloshed*
AnOceanOfStars
Oh, no, it won't... the scene of death must not be altered...
Freyja33
dammit
DodgyMerchant
Corpse or Surströmming?
Freyja33
I've never smelled Surströmming, but it *cannot* be this bad
DodgyMerchant
Well. People who like it think anyone who opens a can indoors is crazy. Ranked as one of the most putrid smells in the world. It coats all surfaces with its smell,
MightyIink
When you hear an ambulance driving away with no siren... you'll know.
manmademonster5
Not always an ambulance, where I am, ambulance services aren’t for transport of deceased humans. I used to work as a body removal technician in my area, we would just come out in unmarked vans/ suvs.
asm80dfa8sdfj
How will you hear it if there's no siren?
Themindboggles
Ya beat me to it 😂
drduffer
Depending on the area, it may not be an ambulance, but rather a Medical Examiner’s van.
NZSheeps
^This. NZ ambulances aren't allowed to transport dead bodies.
CeterumCenseo
Dead bodies can't be transported in ambulances in Germany. That's why you either die before they load you into the ambulance, or you die in the hospital. If you died during transport, the ambulance would have to stop immediately and a mortician would have to come and move the body.
SaltyCoastie
Not sure about other areas of the US but we don't transport dead bodies in my state either. Got called to an unresponsive person yesterday, and person was dead dead. We just called it and left.
bamblebimble
That seems like a lot of wasted time and money?
CeterumCenseo
Maybe, but rules are rules and us Germans love our rules and regulations!
Besides, it's easily preventable by just not pronouncing the person dead until they arrive at the hospital.
skipweasel
Some of us have the grace to go out onto the fire escape before we fart.
trythebleucheese
Not me, but some of us.
UnluckyLunkhead
I was once ejected from a bus driving course for farting and then officially marked down for 'lack of passenger consideration'.
Freyja33
Freyja33
If someone farted this smell, I would tell them to go to a hospital immediately
skipweasel
I remember someone farting in a biology lesson and the teacher saying "Last time I smelled anything as bad as that, it was an exhumed corpse" - so there may be something in it!
mythm2707
I'm so sorry that happened to you... Happened to me once, too, several years ago. They broke his door over one week after his death... Horrible... Additionally for that guy: Imagine, you die and nobody cares or misses you... As I said... horrible... But be sure: It will get better soon now...!
dreikommavierzehn
I often wondered how long it will take people to notice the smell once I'm gone. Considered leaving a note in the hallway
mythm2707
Wait, what? Note? Don't dare you!
dreikommavierzehn
well, not today or the next couple weeks at least. But uhm yeah, just like in your comment: Thinking about these things long enough one finds curious questions. And yes I am one such person that no one would notice, because I don't have contact with anyone regularly in real life for months. So yeah, leaving a note in the hallway so someone calls services to take care of it before the smell sets in was one such thought. A time delayed SMS or mail was the first thought, but found it too much work
mythm2707
Well, I didn't mean it that way, okay? You're right now, right here in contact with us, with me - digitally but anyway... I'm not only a psychologist (but not therapist), but also a person who lived through several depressive and suicidal episodes throughout my life. What I want to say: I know EXACTLY, what you feel and think. And I can tell you what: You can be helped and can get in to contact and life again. Let's keep talking, okay?
dreikommavierzehn
oh all fine, don't worry. I'm not in distress, sad or anything really. Just brought it up as an example; met plenty other people like this around here.
Right now my decision isn't as firm as it was a year ago. But still highly depends on external factors. I have tried to find help for the better part of 10 years and to some degree my entire adult life. "get back into life" is something I've heard from professionals before, yet they failed to understand there was never really much of such a time
Rodville
Went to check on my dad as I had not heard from him in a while. Knew before I opened the door. Well he always did like Elvis so it's fitting he went out like him.
mythm2707
I'm sorry... When did you lose him? How long was he dead already? Of course, just if you want to answer and don't feel intruded by these questions.
Rodville
He passed in 1999 I found him a week after. I know by his pills. He had one of those week at a time pill boxes and the Thursday prior had the morning and mid day pills gone but Thurs night were still there. I hadn't heard from my grandma in about two weeks and I went over to ask if he'd heard from her and knew as I hit the porch.
mythm2707
I'm so sorry... I can imagine how tough that must have been. As said, I had a similar situation, but it was "just" a friend. If it is one of your parents, it definitely has a different quality. I hope you were not alone with the aftermath and had support by family and friends! As much time passed since, I can imagine, that you can manage and cope with it by now, but I know, the grief never ends... It changes in quality and quantity, but time after time, we still miss the lost ones...
mythm2707
I lost one of my best freinds 8 weeks ago. He died in my house on my couch. I found him the next day... I'm glad I convinced him to stay with me... Otherwise, he probably would've died alone, at his apartment, not been found, or in the streets...
alittleglassvial
Was it all explainable? Like they didn’t think you’d offed him or anything?
mythm2707
Of course they investigated that, too... But I took care of him between detoxification and rehabilitation... He had a relapse with RC drugs and didn't notice. He must have had a very bad stroke during the. He looked horrible as I found him. I'm just glad, my son didn't see it...
alittleglassvial
My younger brother went through very similar and I found him. Please know that nothing you did would have changed this, addiction is a deep illness. Don’t beat yourself up for “not noticing” - relapse is often very sneaky. You offered comfort and love that I’m sure he was needing, so you gave him the best gift, time, energy & love.
ClownishAntics
It is a uniquely awful smell, but you wouldn't immediately think "dead body" unless you've smelt it before. Here's hoping it clears up fast
beegobuzz
It's very uh.. moldy trash in the kitchen for 3 months-y. That said, prop outside doors and windows open with major fans blowing out. A funeral home worker recommended this, if you can find a way to get some: https://shivashade.com/shop/very-berry-lavendar-citrus-gel-caps
g0atsmuggler8
I once had tweaker passes out on my front door so i had to call the police. Without any context, my neighbor came out all heated because he thought that I did something to the woman and he threatened to call the police. I told him she was already passed out when I got home and that I had already called emergency services to check on her. He said man that’s messed up why did you have to get the police involved. He went over to check on her and began trying to wake her up.
g0atsmuggler8
I told him I wouldn’t do that because you never know how a strung out person is going to react when you try and wake them up. He ignored me and proceeded to shake her some more. When she quickly grabbed his arm and bit a chunk of his skin off. I said see told you. Then the police came and asked me if I wanted to press any charges and I said no just check on her and get these two clowns off my property.
DamnThursdays
Used to be a funeral director. Smelled that smell enough that I can pick up roadkill from 50' away. What sucks is when you're around it so much, every now and again your brain is like "Wanna smell it right now?" And it'll pop into your nose. It can be while you're eating, sleeping, fucking.... it just takes you out of EVERYTHING in that moment cause you're thinking of a rotting corpse.
MyNotSoCoolAndRatherAwkwardPersona
Question- is the human corpse smell different from let's say road kill, or a mouse in the wall, or a cat in the walls? (The last one was a horrible experience) but whenever there is death around I've always been able to tell. I've never been around decomposing human flesh tho- if claims are true it's similar to pork? Never experienced decomposing pig before
ClownishAntics
Super different, we smell like slightly bleachy old mushroom and newspaper pulp compared to the tangy trash smell of roadkill, then into a strong foul marshy smell like you're inside a giant tonsil stone. Personally I don't recommend living with one
bourbonandbaddecisions
Once you smell one you will never forget it.
LateNightBunnyParty
SO true. I drove by a creek once. The smell sent the hair up on the back of my neck and a friend who was riding with me said "That's a dead body." A few days later, we found out a little girl's body had been found there.
theskepticinme
Too true. Also the sight. My dad was dead for a week when I found him
Qpnao
I'm sorry you had to experience that :(
DIYSelfHelp7
Agreed, tragic event for a family diagonal from us about 12 yrs ago, when they opened the doors to bring out the bodies the smell hit you and my brain immediately said "this is death" we moved a few months later but will never forget it or the smell.
Evergrey
Very true. When I was a young adult I agreed to go clean a guy's office. CORPSE SMELL CORPSE SMELL CORPSE SMELL. I was 18 and cleaned his office for 20 bucks, then refused to go to his bedroom with him. I drove home as fast as I could. I didn't tell anyone. I was so lucky but I wish I could tell my young self to flee and call the cops immediately.
gooftroop
Dude wtf
Evergrey
Yeah. I don't know how I didn't get murdered, honestly.
ChelVanin
A cat died in the wall at my middle school. That was bad enough.
LateNightBunnyParty
That is a horrible smell, but decomposing human is...uniquely unnerving. It's like something in our lizard brain is primed to single it out among all other decomposing smells we'll experience in our lives.
etcnotect
Cat just doesn't have as much mass. I assure you a full grown cow gives off a horrible smell just as bad, especially when it's been baking in the sun.
LateNightBunnyParty
Having grown up around both cats and cows and smelled the corpses of both, I stand by my statement.
etcnotect
Trust me, under the right conditions, a cows corpse will smell just as putrid or even worse.
Freyja33
I mean that's definitely what the property manager and cops thought it was, they said that's why they showed up
Torvucci
Could be a dead animal. I once had a dead rat stink an entire floor, lil fucker died in the ceiling. Smelt like death for weeks...
lickahippy4fun
Yeah, I was gunna say... there could still be a dead body, may just not be human.
ThoseRulesArentReal
Yeah Ive smelt it twice once was a human the other was a deer it was the same very distant smell….actually a third time a transient women on subway everytime her dress blew in the wind but Im so traumatized by that, that’s this first time I have said that “outloud”
xlr82xs
Even in civilized countries, you'll hear some absolutely horrific stories if you ask er or first responders about homeless people and necrosis. Like insect nests inside dead flesh that's still attached to a living person type horrible. Mental illness and disenfranchisement are a terrible combination.
Torvucci
I remember reading that post on Tumblr or reddit (can't remember where) about a nurse's experience with an obese patient that has advanced necrosis on her ass cheeks.
That was one of the most disgusting things I've ever read...
ThoseRulesArentReal
Yeah no it was pure empathic horror.