Video showing Walmart walk-in oven doors can only be locked manually goes viral in wake of worker's death

Video showing Walmart walk-in oven doors can only be locked manually goes viral (Image via Instagram/@walmart)
Video showing Walmart walk-in oven doors can only be locked manually goes viral (Image via Instagram/@walmart)

In a tragic turn of events, Walmart employee Gursimran Kaur was found dead inside the bakery department’s oven on October 19, 2024. On the night of that day, her mother, who also worked at the chain retailer, reportedly became concerned after an hour passed without seeing her daughter and could not reach her on the phone.

Police have not disclosed how the woman ended up inside the oven. Constable Martin Cromwell indicated on October 25, 2024, that the investigation remained "complex" with no updates. Kaur was an Indian immigrant. After the news of her tragic, a video has surfaced online showing the working mechanism of the walk-in oven’s door.

As per the video, the door handle does not latch to the door unless it is pushed from outside. However, no matter how hard the door is pushed from the outside, it does not close unless it is given extreme bodily force. The video also shows the presence of an emergency handle inside the oven’s door.

Reportedly, the Walmart staff assumed that the deceased was assisting a customer. Halifax Police noted that they have not yet determined the cause or manner of death, and a medical examiner would determine the official cause of death.

In a statement to People Magazine on October 23, 2024, Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss shared that staff were deeply saddened and confirmed the store would remain closed indefinitely. Moss expressed the company’s sympathy for the affected associate and their family, emphasizing that Walmart is focused on supporting its employees during this time.


Reportedly, the Walmart employee was associated with the Maritime Sikh Society

According to a Daily Mail report, the dispatch officer informed first responders that a female was locked in an oven in the bakery. The officer noted that the oven was on, and staff were unsure how to turn it off. Reports indicated that the young woman had arrived in Canada within the last three years and was closely connected to the Maritime Sikh Society.

By the time emergency responders arrived at Walmart, they reported that she was no longer inside the oven. Anmolpreet Singh, a member of the Maritime Sikh Society, expressed sorrow for her family, mentioning that she had come to Canada seeking a better future.

The Maritime Sikh Society established a GoFundMe in support of Kaur’s family. Balbir Singh, a secretary with the society, shared that as the largest Sikh Gurdwara in Canada’s Atlantic provinces, they initiated the fundraiser with the immediate family's approval, with all proceeds directed to Kaur’s mother.

According to the campaign, Kaur was described as "a young beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams," and both she and her mother had worked at Walmart for two years.

The fundraiser highlighted the family’s immense suffering and the need for community support to help them through this tragedy. As of October 25, 2024, the campaign had raised over $140,000 (approximately CAD 194,000) and had closed to further donations.

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Edited by Priscillah Mueni