A 19-year-old Walmart employee in Halifax, Gursimran Kaur, was found dead in a walk-in oven at the store where she worked. The Maritime Sikh Society identified her and revealed that both her and her mother had been working at the store for about two years. They had moved to Canada from India within the past three years, leaving her father and brother behind in their home country. The community and the victim’s family are shocked and traumatized by the incident, with the society providing psychological counseling and setting up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral expenses and to bring family members to Canada for last rites.
The investigation into Kaur’s death is ongoing and involves Halifax Regional Police, the province’s labour department, and the medical examiner’s office. First responders were called to the store for a report of a sudden death, leading to the closure of the store. A stop-work order was issued for the bakery and one piece of equipment at the Walmart store. The company has expressed their sadness over the incident, offering support to the woman’s family and providing 24/7 virtual care and grief counseling to staff. Employees will continue to be paid for shifts during the store’s closure, with consideration for alternate work arrangements in case of a longer-than-anticipated closure.
The society is offering support to the victim’s family, arranging counseling for those affected by the tragedy. The GoFundMe campaign set up to cover funeral expenses surpassed its $50,000 goal within 10 hours and has since raised nearly $84,000. Kaur was remembered as a young beautiful girl who had come to Canada with big dreams, making the shocking incident even more tragic for those who knew her. The community is in mourning over the loss, with the victim’s relatives still living in India dealing with the devastating news from afar.
Walk-in ovens are common in large-volume bakeries and are used for curing, drying, or baking in batches using wheeled racks or carts. Walmart Canada, where Kaur worked, confirmed that the company is heartbroken over the incident and is offering support to employees during this difficult time. The store has been closed since the discovery of the victim’s body and will remain closed until the investigation is complete. The tragedy has left the community reeling, coming to terms with the loss of a young woman with her whole life ahead of her.
Overall, this devastating incident has left the community in shock and mourning over the loss of a young woman with big dreams. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Gursimran Kaur’s death is ongoing, with multiple agencies involved. The support from the Maritime Sikh Society and the generosity of donors to the GoFundMe campaign reflect the deep impact the tragedy has had on those who knew the victim. Walmart Canada’s actions in response to the incident demonstrate a commitment to supporting their employees during this difficult time.
