A 19-year-old Indian girl was found burned in a walk-in oven at a Walmart in Halifax on October 19. Gursimran Kaur's body was discovered in the bakery section of the store. Her mother, who also worked at Walmart, lost contact with her for about an hour before finally finding her charred remains in the oven.
Who was Gursimran Kaur?
Nineteen-year-old Gursimran Kaur moved to Canada with 'big dreams' of a bright future.
She worked at Walmart with her mother for two years. Her father and brother currently live in India and efforts are being made to bring them to Canada.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up by the Maritime Sikh Society Executive to support Ms Kaur's family. So far, it has grossed over Rs 1.1 crore.
The organization wrote in an update: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who donated to support Gursimran Kaur's family during this unimaginable time. Your kindness and generosity have been a source of strength to the family as they navigate this tragedy.”
“Your contributions will help them in their next steps, and we cannot thank you enough for your support during this painful time,” she added.
Walk-in ovens, essential for large-scale bakeries, are designed to dry, bake or cure products in batches on mobile racks. Authorities are thoroughly investigating the oven as part of their investigation into Ms Kaur's death. First responders were dispatched to Walmart around 9:30 PM on October 19 after receiving reports of a “sudden death.”
The store has been closed since that evening and the company is reportedly offering grief counseling to its employees, the Canadian Express reports.