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full screenWalmart store in Halifax where the woman worked. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
The 19-year-old woman was found dead in the oven at the supermarket’s bakery.
The police say that the investigation is “complex” and may drag on.
One detail is puzzling.
The death occurred in a Walmart store in Canadian Halifax last Saturday evening.
The 19-year-old woman was employed at the supermarket and was found dead in a so-called stick oven, where tall trolleys with plates are rolled in. The oven is of an industrial type and according to the television channel CBC News large enough for a human to enter it.
According to the first information to the rescue service, the woman had somehow become trapped.
– Woman locked in the oven in the bakery. The oven is on. Unclear if the staff can turn it off, the alarm operator is heard saying in a conversation published by the British Daily Mail.
Details: No lock
When the ambulance and emergency services arrived, the woman was out of the oven, but her life could not be saved. How and why she was trapped is unclear. CBC News reports, citing sources, that the oven had no lock — a detail that contradicts early alarm reports and baffles investigators.
The police have been tight-lipped about the incident. In one statement on Tuesday emphasized that the circumstances and cause of death have not yet been confirmed.
“The investigation is complex and involves several authorities. An investigation of this nature can take considerable time,” the police wrote.
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full screen A variant of a knitting oven. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
“Want to know what happened”
The woman’s identity has not been released. It is known that she and her mother moved to Canada from India two or three years ago. She is mourned by the local Sikh minority in Halifax.
– It is a very tragic event and everyone is deeply affected. We are waiting for the police investigation to be completed. We want to know what happened to this young woman,” Babir Singh, president of the Maritime Sikh Society, told CBC News.
The woman’s mother is now receiving support from the organization. As soon as the forensic examination is complete, the 19-year-old will be buried in Halifax, according to Babir Singh.
Urges the police
After the death, social media has been filled with rumors about the cause and speculation about the woman’s identity. Singh opposes it.
– We do not know the details. The police should come out with something that puts an end to all rumours, he says.
Police have so far released no new details following Tuesday’s brief statement, but are urging the public not to spread rumours:
“Be aware of how the woman’s family, colleagues and loved ones can be affected by speculation”.