Sikh teen, who recently moved from India to Canada, found dead in Walmart oven
911 call reveals how teenage Halifax Walmart worker died in horrifying oven accident
A 19-year-old Sikh woman was found dead inside a walk-in oven of the Walmart store’s bakery department in Canada’s Halifax city, according to media reports.
Halifax Regional Police (HRP) said they were called to a sudden death at the Walmart at 6990 Mumford Road around 9:30 pm on Saturday.
According to police, the woman, who has not been identified, was employed at the store.
Her body was found in a walk-in oven, police said.
The Maritime Sikh Society confirmed to CTV News that she was a member of their community.
“It’s very sad for us, for her family as well, because she came for a better future and she lost her life,” said Anmolpreet Singh, with the Maritime Sikh Society.
She had recently moved to Canada from India, The Globe and Mail newspaper said.
The store has remained closed since Saturday night while the investigation is ongoing.
Complex Investigation
HRP Constable Martin Cromwell said police were aware of online speculation about the woman’s cause of death.
“The investigation is complex,” said Cromwell.
“We understand the public is involved, and we just wanted to encourage the public to be patient with our investigation and be mindful that there are family members and coworkers involved.”
Cromwell said Halifax police were coordinating with the appropriate agencies to help with the investigation.
“We urge the public to be mindful of sharing speculative information on social media,” HRP said in a statement on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for the province’s labour department said a stop-work order has been issued for the bakery and “one piece of equipment” at the Walmart store.
“It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed,” HRP said.
Nova Scotia’s medical examiner is working to determine the cause of death, and the province’s Department of Health and Safety is taking part in the investigation.
Walk-in ovens, also referred to as cabinet or batch ovens, allow for curing, drying or baking in batches using wheeled racks or carts. They are often found in large-volume bakeries in places such as supermarkets.
In a statement, Walmart Canada said the company is heartbroken and their thoughts are with the woman’s family.
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A 19-year-old Walmart employee was found dead inside a walk-in oven in Canada by her mother who also worked there. Identified as Gursimran Kaur, the victim was burned to death on October 19 at Walmart bakery, media reports said.
Halifax Regional Police reported that they responded to a call at 9:30 pm at the Walmart located at 6990 Mumford Rd., where they discovered the body of a young woman inside a “large walk-in oven in the store’s bakery department.”
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Kaur and her mother had been working there for two years. That evening, after not seeing her daughter for an hour, Kaur’s mother began searching for her. She asked people nearby and tried calling her, but received no response.
“Mother started panicking as it was unusual for [Kaur] to switch her phone off during the day,” the fundraiser said. “Imagine the horror that her mother experienced who herself opened the oven,” a community fundraiser for the family said.
Authorities stated on Tuesday that the cause and manner of death have not yet been determined, and the investigation remains ongoing.
According to the Maritime Sikh Society, Kaur and her mother are originally from India. Her father and brother are still in India, and the organisation is working to bring them to Canada.
So far, the fundraiser has collected over $75,000 Canadian dollars to support the family.
On Wednesday, Walmart informed NBC News that the store is closed until further notice. The Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration also issued a stop-work order for the store’s bakery and a piece of equipment on Tuesday.
