National

Walmart employee found dead inside walk-in bakery oven: Police

Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on October 22, 2024

(HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA) — Police in Canada said Tuesday they are investigating after a 19-year-old Walmart employee was found dead inside a store’s walk-in bakery oven.

Officers responded to the Walmart — located in Halifax, Nova Scotia — on Saturday night after the employee was found dead, police said.

“The woman, who was an employee of the store, was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store’s bakery department,” Halifax Regional Police said in an update on Tuesday.

Investigators are working with Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, police said.

The cause and manner of death have not yet been determined as of Tuesday, police said, calling the investigation “complex.”

“An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time,” police said.

The Walmart store is temporarily closed amid the investigation, according to ABC News partner CTV News.

“We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family,” Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss said in a statement to CTV News. “We extend our sincerest condolences to those who were closest to them.”

Walmart is offering employees on-site support, including grief counseling, as well as access to virtual care, Moss said.

The Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration said a stop work order was issued Tuesday for the bakery and a piece of equipment at the Walmart store.

“As this is an active investigation, we cannot release further details at this time,” the department said in a statement, adding workplace investigations “are complex and can take time.”