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Walmart Planned to Remove Oven Before 19-Year-Old Employee's Death

Originally appeared on E! Online

A Walmart in Canada was preparing to remove its walk-in oven even before an employee was found dead inside.

After staffer Gursimran Kaur, 19, was discovered deceased in the Halifax store's bakery oven on Oct. 19, a spokesperson for Walmart Canada said the appliance will no longer be used.

“Removing the oven had always been part of the standard remodel program we are implementing across the country,” spokesperson Amanda Moss told CTV News 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—couldn't get in contact with the teen for an hour, according to NBC News. Her mom eventually discovered her remains inside the locked oven.

In emergency audio obtained by The Daily Mail, a dispatch officer told first responders, "Female is locked in an oven in the bakery. Oven is on, unsure if the staff are able to turn it off."

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The equipment was eventually shut down, with a first responder noting, "The person was out of the oven upon arrival."

Kaur and her mom had moved to Canada from India about two years ago, according to NBC News.

Following the tragic incident, community members shared how Kaur's mother had been traumatized.

“The first day I saw her was the day the incident happened,” Halifax Maritime Sikh Society board member Satnam Randhawa told NBC News. "She was really distraught. She was really in great pain."

The Halifax Walmart temporarily closed down amid the investigation, with a company spokesperson expressing their condolences.

"We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family," the spokesperson said in a statement last month. "Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need. As police have stated, this is a very complex matter and the investigation is ongoing."