Co-workers of a young woman who died in an apartment fire in Bridgewater, N.S., last month are remembering her as a “ray of light.”
Colleagues at Inside-Out Cleaning Services say Amitoj Kaur was a hard-working person who was trying to help her family back home in India.
“It’s still hard to realize that she’s gone or talk about it, but she was a really great fit from day one. She really cared, she really, really cared,” said Jason Martell, the business’s president and majority owner.
Kaur came to Canada in 2020 and began working for Inside-Out in 2024. Her boss says she will be deeply missed by everyone she worked with.
“We provide cleaning services and often it’s after hours, so not everyone creates a connection with the people within these locations,” Martell said.
“Respectful. Kind. Understanding. We couldn’t ask for anything more. She was really an amazing human being.”
The fire on King Street in Bridgewater on June 10 was described by the police force’s deputy chief as the “most intense fire” he’s ever responded to in his career.
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Two residential buildings went up in flames at around noon, and a third building was at risk of catching fire.
Police said at the time that they found a body inside one of the buildings and believed the remains belonged to a resident who had been considered missing.
Martell says staff at the business eventually realized that Kaur was the victim.
“We were trying to get in touch with her. We didn’t know what happened on day one; there was a shift that night. And then as time went on, the dots connected and about 24 hours later, we found out the terrible news,” he said.
Rhonda Langille, the company’s administrative manager, says she knew something was wrong when she got a call from Martell.
“I know he doesn’t call unless it’s important. And then it was just complete disbelief — your mind immediately goes to the impact,” she said.
“She was so valued. She brought so much. She was an amazing worker, and amazing co-worker.”
Langille had been helping Kaur obtain her permanent residency.
A GoFundMe set up by Kaur’s uncle says she was the primary breadwinner for her parents back in India.
After the fire, Martell says he has been working with Kaur’s husband regarding a life insurance policy, and adds that the community has been incredibly supportive as those who knew Kaur mourn her loss.
“She was an absolute ray of light and she made the world a better place by just being in it and it’s tragic that she’s not here anymore,” he said.
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