HALIFAX — Halifax police say a 19-year-old woman who died in a Walmart bakery on Saturday was found in a large, walk-in oven when first responders arrived at the scene in the city’s west end.
In a news release Tuesday, police investigators said their work was in the early stages and it remained unclear if any wrongdoing was suspected in the case.
“It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed,” police said in their statement.
“The investigation is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time.”
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the province’s labour department says a stop-work order has been issued for the bakery and “one piece of equipment” at the Walmart store.
Police have said officers were called to the store on Mumford Road at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, where they found the woman dead. Her identity has not been released.
However, Balbir Singh, the secretary of the Maritime Sikh Society, said in an interview Tuesday that the society has been in touch with the mother of the 19-year-old victim and learned that the woman and her mother are originally from India and came to Canada two to three years ago.
He said the local Sikh community is deeply distressed by her death.
“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. “We would like to know what happened to this young woman.”
He added that psychological counselling is being provided to the mother and efforts are underway to bring other immediate family members from India. Singh said that once the body is released by the medical examiner, a religious service will be held in Halifax.
Singh said it will be up to police and occupational and health investigators to make clear to the public what occurred. “It’s all rumours on social media,” he said. “We don’t know the details ... there should be something from the police that puts an end to all the rumours.”
Walk-in ovens, also referred to as cabinet or batch ovens, allow for curing, drying or baking in batches using wheeled racks or carts. They are often found in large-volume bakeries in places such as supermarkets and big-box stores.
A Walmart spokesperson said by email that the store remains closed “until further notice” but did not respond to a question about possible actions being taken regarding similar ovens at the company’s other stores.
“We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need,” Amanda Moss said.
“This is a very complex matter, and the investigation is ongoing,” she added.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press