Sikh employee found dead in walk-in oven at Canadian Walmart

Ottawa:

A 19-year-old Sikh woman was found dead in a walk-in oven in the bakery department of a Walmart store in the Canadian city of Halifax, according to media reports.

Halifax Regional Police (HRP) said they were called to a sudden death at the Walmart at 6990 Mumford Road around 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

According to police, the woman, who was not identified, was employed at the store.

Her body was found in a walk-in oven, police said.

The Maritime Sikh Society confirmed to CTV News that she is a member of their community.

“It is very sad for us and also for her family because she came for a better future and lost her life,” said Anmolpreet Singh of the Maritime Sikh Society.

She recently moved from India to Canada, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported.

The store remained closed since Saturday evening while the investigation continued.

HRP Constable Martin Cromwell said police were aware of online speculation about the woman's cause of death.

“The investigation is complex,” Cromwell said.

“We understand that the public is involved and we just wanted to encourage the public to be patient in our investigation and to ensure that family members and colleagues are involved.” Cromwell said Halifax police are coordinating with the relevant authorities to help with the investigation.

“We urge the public to exercise caution when sharing speculative information on social media,” HRP said in a statement on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the provincial labor department said a work stoppage was ordered at the bakery and “an appliance” at the Walmart store.

“It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached the point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed,” HRP said.

The Nova Scotia coroner is working to determine the cause of death and the province's Ministry of Health and Safety is participating in the investigation.

Walk-in ovens, also called cabinet or batch ovens, allow curing, drying, or baking in batches using racks or wheeled carts. They are often found in large-volume bakeries, such as supermarkets.

In a statement, Walmart Canada said the company was heartbroken and its thoughts were with the woman's family.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)