Tiger tragedy: Zoo caretaker in Romania killed after cage error
A tragic accident occurred at the zoo in Pitesti, Romania, when a tiger caretaker forgot to close the cage door. The animal seized the opportunity and attacked the man, who died on the spot.
1:23 PM EST, December 11, 2024
The incident took place at the zoo in Pitesti, located 75 miles from Bucharest, on Monday. The 52-year-old tiger caretaker had entered the enclosure to clean it but failed to secure the door of the protective cage.
There were six tigers inside. One managed to get out into the enclosure and attacked the man, fatally biting him in the head.
Tragic accident at the zoo in Romania. Caretaker forgot to close the tiger cage
Rescuers arrived on the scene within 10 minutes, but unfortunately, it was already too late. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pitesti zoo management confirmed that a breach of safety procedures led to the tragedy. The caretaker had been employed at the zoo since 2015.
The city's mayor, Cristian Gentea, expressed sorrow over the first such accident in 50 years. "It is a huge loss, and our thoughts during this time of grief are with the victim's family and all loved ones," he wrote on Facebook.
Zoo operations have been suspended, and the prosecutor's office and police are conducting an investigation into the caretaker's death.
Zoo authorities announced changes in procedures to prevent similar situations in the future. The British publication "The Sun" reminds us that in 2000, a similar incident occurred when a tiger escaped from the Pitesti zoo due to a door being left unlatched.
