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On 19 October 2024, a 19-year-old Indian worker Gursimran Kaur, was found dead in a walk-in oven at the Walmart bakery where she worked, by her mother, a co-worker at the Halifax store.[1][2]
| Date | October 19, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Time | c. 9:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) |
| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Cause | Investigating (underway) |
| Deaths | Gursimran Kaur |
Incident
editOn October 19, a Saturday night at a Walmart store on Mumford Road in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Gursimran Kaur was found by her mother who is also worker at the store. She was discovered around 9:30 p.m.[3]
Investigation
editLocal police are investigating the "sudden death," and they have called in Occupational Health and Safety to help. Some reports say that a large baking oven might be involved in what happened, but more details are still being investigated.[4]
On 22 October 2024, Halifax Police said they are investigating the sudden death of Kaur, stating "The cause of death is still unknown, and the investigation involves multiple agencies and may take time."
A shut-down order was placed on a Walmart bakery and the equipment by the Nova Scotia Department of Labor after the incident. The order was lifted on October 28, 2024,[5] when compliance was confirmed. Walmart called the situation "sad and difficult" and stated that removing the oven was part of a standard remodel.[5]
The preliminary investigation involved Halifax Regional Police and Canada’s Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Investigations show that the oven was supposed to be removed before the accident happened.
Emergency audio recordings revealed confusion during the response.[6] A dispatcher told others about the unusual situation, saying, “The oven is on, and it’s unclear if staff can turn it off.” They also expressed concerns about someone being trapped inside.[6] The investigation is ongoing to find out what went wrong and why the oven was still in use.
Personal life
editGursimran Kaur was a 19-year-old Sikh woman from India. She and her mother had moved to Canada about two years before her death.[1]
Reactions
editA GoFundMe campaign shared that Kaur’s mother authorized the release of details about her daughter’s death to support the fundraiser. The fundraiser, which has raised over 194,449 CAD, is now protected.[7]
Kaur’s mother grew alarmed when her daughter did not answer her phone during her night shift, Kaur's mother opened the walk-in oven at the store after someone noticed a "leak" coming from it, She later found Kaur’s burned body inside the bakery’s walk-in oven according to The Sun. "Imagine how scared her mother must have felt when she opened the oven after someone pointed out the problem!"[7]
References
edit- ^ a b Tutton, Michael (October 24, 2024). "Body of woman, 19, at Halifax Walmart was discovered by her mother". CBC News. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Venkatraman, Sakshi (October 24, 2024). "After Indian immigrant employee found dead in Walmart oven, Sikh community supports family". NBC News. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Lenthang, Marlene (October 24, 2024). "19-year-old employee was found dead in Walmart walk-in oven by her mother". NBC News. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Rodrigues, Gabby; Macdonald, Ella (October 21, 2024). "19-year-old employee dies at Walmart in Halifax, store closed until further notice". Global News. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Hampshire, Gareth (November 7, 2024). "Halifax Walmart removing piece of equipment after worker found dead". CBC News. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ a b https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/indianorigin-walmart-employee-burned-to-death-in-bakery-oven-superstore-admits-it-was-to-be-removed-before-tragedy-101731678095147.html?utm_source=ht_site_copyURL&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ht_site.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b "Who was Gursimran Kaur, Indian Sikh teen charred to death inside Walmart oven in Canada". Hindustan Times. October 31, 2024.