Originally published on E! Online
A Walmart in Canada was preparing to remove its walk-in oven before an employee was found dead inside.
After staffer Gursimran KaurThe 19-year-old was found deceased in the bakery oven of the Halifax store on October 19. A spokesperson for Walmart Canada said the device will no longer be used.
“The removal of the oven has always been part of the standard renovation program we implement across the country,” a spokesperson said Amanda Moss CTV News told in a statement. “This is an extremely sad and difficult situation.”
Kaur’s body was found after her mother — who also worked at the store — was unable to contact the teen for an hour, according to NBC News. Her mother eventually discovered her remains in the locked oven.
In case of emergency audio obtained by The Daily Maila dispatch officer told first responders, “The female is trapped in an oven in the bakery. The oven is on and not sure if staff can turn it off.”
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The equipment was eventually turned off, with a first responder noting, “The individual was out of the oven upon arrival.”
According to NBC News, Kaur and her mother had moved to Canada from India about two years ago.
Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Following the tragic incident, community members described how Kaur’s mother was traumatized.
“The first day I saw her was the day the incident happened,” said the Halifax Maritime Sikh Society board member Satnam Randhawa told NBC News. “She was really desperate. She was really in a lot of pain.”
The Halifax Walmart was temporarily closed during the investigation, with a company spokesperson expressing condolences.
“We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our employee and their family,” the spokesperson said in a statement last month. “Our focus remains on looking after our employees and ensuring they have the support they need. As the police have stated, this is a very complex case and the investigation is ongoing.”
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