Worker found in large walk-in oven in bakery department, police say
A 19-year-old female worker at Walmart in Nova Scotia died in the workplace on Saturday, according to police.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Halifax police were called to a sudden death at Walmart located at 6990 Mumford Road, where they found the deceased worker.
The woman, who was an employee of the store, was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store’s bakery department, the police said in an update on Tuesday.
However, the police have yet to release details as to what actually happened to the worker. Investigators are working closely with Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service to determine the cause and manner of death.
“We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. We extend our sincerest condolences to those who were closest to them,” a Walmart spokesperson said, according to CBC. “We’re also supporting our associates during this incredibly difficult time and have provided access to 24/7 virtual care and will provide on-site support, including grief counselling.”
Recently, SaskPower was sentenced in a Weyburn courtroom, facing a historic workplace fine of $840,000, the largest in Saskatchewan’s history. The penalty came after the utility company was found guilty of three workplace safety violations that resulted in the tragic deaths of two experienced employees in 2020.
The woman and her mother are originally from India and came to Canada two to three years ago, CBC reported, citing a statement from Balbir Singh, the secretary of the Maritime Sikh Society which has been in touch with the mother.
"It's a really tragic incident and everybody is deeply hurt by this, and we are waiting for the police investigation to come out," said Singh in the report. "We would like to know what happened to this young woman."
The society is also providing psychological counselling to the mother of the 19-year-old, and efforts are underway to bring other immediate family members from India, according to the CBC report.
“It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed,” Halifax police said in a statement.
“The investigation is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time.”
The Walmart location is "temporarily closed as we co-operate fully with the investigation,” a company spokesperson said in a statement, according to CBC’s report released on Tuesday.
