First picture of ‘hardworking’ man found dead at his flat in Victoria Park

Tributes have been paid to a ‘hardworking’ handyman who was found dead in his flat.

Residents said Adam Balowski, 47, died after paramedics tried to revive him on the doorstep of his east London flat.

Dozens of police officers from Bethnal Green police station were called to the scene after the alarm was raised at about 10.15am on Monday in Victoria Park Square in Tower Hamlets.

Residents said Adam, who regularly helped neighbours on the estate with DIY, was carried from his ground-floor flat and given CPR on his doorstep.

The ‘generous’ handyman was taken to hospital where he later died at 11.52am. 

A 46-year-old woman who was previously arrested on suspicion of murder has since been bailed.

According to his neighbours, the painter and decorator had moved to London from Poland and had been living at the ground-floor apartment on the edge of Victoria Park for around five years. 

Neighbour Faye Hussain, 37, told Metro: ‘He was always doing some building or painting and decorating for me over the years. 

‘He was incredibly hardworking, generous and friendly and his work was really good. Nothing was too much trouble for him.’

‘When I saw him outside the apartment with those injuries I was devastated. I couldn’t believe it was him.

‘He was such a nice guy and always reliable. He was in the middle of work for me and was supposed to be here this week. It makes me cry to think about him. He was a good man.’

She added that all his family were in Poland and said if it proved too difficult for them she would help organise his funeral. 

‘That’s how much I thought of him,’ she added.

Another witness, 63, told Metro: ‘There was pandemonium. There were so many police pulling up it was crazy.

‘He looked to have several injuries and was not responsive. It was horrific to see. We were all in shock. It’s difficult to get the images out of your head it really was dreadful to see.’ 

A 34-year-old mother told Metro: ‘There was a couple living at the address, I think they are Eastern European. I was going to work and saw all the police it was a massive deal with big vans and all sorts.

‘We live in a nice community and I moved here because of the park for the kids. It’s a big shock.’

Police said officers aren’t looking for anyone else in connection with his death.

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called at 10:16hrs on Monday, 1 July to reports of a man with stab wounds inside an address in Victoria Park Square, E2.

‘Officers responded with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service. A 47-year-old man was taken to hospital where he sadly later died at 11:52hrs.

‘A special post-mortem examination held on Thursday, 3 July indicated there were no suspicious circumstances.

‘An inquest will be held in due course.’

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