A Chilean safari park employee died Friday after being attacked by a tiger in a big cat enclosure, according to police.
As reported by CNN, the young woman, who police have not identified, was working inside the enclosure in the city of Rancagua. She reportedly was attacked while cleaning and performing maintenance work.
“She did not realize that the door of the animal’s cage was open and was immediately attacked by this tiger, causing her death on the spot,” said Williams Espinoza of the Rancagua police.
The safari section of the location allows parkgoers to explore the big cats while sitting inside a caged vehicle as the animals move around freely, but animals are confined in enclosures when staff is working.
After the attack, the park was closed for investigation, as Jorge Mena of the regional public prosecutor’s office said they’re also investigating the incident over potential third-party culpability.
Earlier this year, an Australian man was bitten by a shark in his upper thigh, before he died following cardiac arrest over an extreme loss of blood. The attack happened as the man in his 50’s was surfing at Tuncurry Beach in Forster, New South Wales in May. Following the attack, drones scoped out the area for other sharks to alert beachgoers.
