Woolworths store closed after employee dies during shift

A woman has suffered “fatal injuries” and died following an incident at a Woolworths store on Friday morning.

A Woolworths store will remain closed after an employee died while cleaning the supermarket.

Emergency services rushed to the store at Jesmond Central, near Newcastle in the NSW Hunter Region about 7.30am on Friday following reports she had been injured.

NSW Police said paramedics attended the store but the woman suffered “fatal injuries” and was declared dead.

A Woolworths store remains closed after an employee died while working. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

“Officers from Newcastle Police District have established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” NSW Police said in a statement.

“Initial inquiries suggest there are no suspicious circumstances.”

The woman was an employee of a third-party cleaning firm that was providing specialist cleaning services at the Jesmond store.

A Woolworths spokesman said the supermarket giant is “deeply saddened by the tragic incident”.

She was a cleaner at the store. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

“Our thoughts are with the woman’s loved ones at this difficult time,” the spokesman said.

“We are assisting SafeWork NSW and NSW Police as well as working with our contract cleaning partner.”

The supermarket said its priority was providing support to the woman’s family.

The Jesmond store will remain closed.