A tragedy occurred wherein a 19-year-old Indian-origin girl was found dead inside the walk-in oven at a Walmart store in Halifax, Canada. The charred body of Gursimran Kaur was discovered on October 19 by her mother, who also worked in the same store for two years.
Authorities have said that police were continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death and had not yet determined a “cause and manner” of death. The Halifax Regional Police called it a complex investigation involving numerous partner agencies and cautioned that such investigations could take several months.
Accounts from Walmart employees seem to paint a more sinister story, as some have reportedly said Kaur may have been locked inside the oven and “baked to death.” Chris Breezie, a co-worker of Kaur, discussed how the oven could only be turned on from the outside, preventing easy access or free exit in a TikTok video. Breezie got up on her tiptoes, showing that someone would have to hunch over just to fit inside the oven, and emphasized that there is no job or task where a worker would need to get inside it physically.
She also explained that there is an emergency latch on the interior side of the oven: “I would never be in here, whether I’m cleaning it or not.” Breezie also said it takes quite a bit of strength to lock the oven: “There is no possibility somebody could lock themselves in there.” That made her believe that Kaur had to have been pushed into the oven.
Another employee, who identified herself as Mary, said that was right: “You gotta push it, hear the click.” She spoke with a tinge of astonishment about how Kaur died. “It’s just hard to wrap my head around it when Walmart’s bakery ovens are so safe to use,” she said.
In light of the incident, a stop-work order has been issued for the bakery section and a piece of equipment at the Walmart store. The investigation continues as the community digests this loss.
