Probe finds no safety violations in Walmart Halifax bakery oven death

The Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration’s safety branch concluded an extensive probe and determined the walk-in bakery oven at the Mumford Road Walmart in Halifax was in proper working order and that no safety violations could have contributed to the death of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur. The province released its findings publicly on Feb. 27, 2026, saying investigators also found no broader safety concerns associated with that type of oven.

Halifax Regional Police completed their own inquiry in late November 2024 and found no evidence of foul play. Const. Martin Cromwell said police “conducted several interviews, reviewed video footage and worked very closely with our partners at the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Medical Examiner’s Service,” noting the multi-agency review of the incident that began after Kaur’s body was discovered in mid-October 2024.

Kaur’s remains were reported found on Oct. 19, 2024 in the store’s walk-in oven; a photo caption from Oct. 21, 2024 showed forensic investigators on scene at the Mumford Road location. Friends and co-workers gathered outside the store for a candlelight vigil on Oct. 23, 2024, leaving flowers and candles near the entrance as the community processed the loss.

Provincial officials said the department will continue to support Kaur’s family as it closes the investigative file. Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Nolan Young said, “Our thoughts remain with the worker’s family, friends and co‑workers as they continue to cope with this tragic loss,” and added, “Our responsibility is to understand what happened, determine whether safety requirements were met and use those findings to support future prevention efforts.”

Community members and the Maritime Sikh Society identified the worker as Gursimran Kaur and said her mother, who also worked at the same Mumford Road Walmart, was among those who found her in the oven. Global reporting noted Kaur and her mother had moved to Canada from the U.K. and were originally from India; SaltWire reported staffers, including the mother, discovered the body.

Walmart removed the bakery oven from the store after the incident, and the Mumford Road location remained closed for months while the store underwent renovations that included removing the unit. Neither the Department of Labour nor Halifax Regional Police released a cause of death; HotCountry1035 and other reports note no coroner or medical examiner findings were provided in the public statements.

Const. Cromwell acknowledged ongoing public interest in the case and that some questions may never be answered, saying investigators recognized “there have been many questions about what happened” and that “there are questions that may never have answers.” The provincial release closes the workplace-safety investigation while leaving medical and forensic details unreleased to the public.