A qualified and experienced employee was killed at around 5:30 pm when feeding tigers in a zoo. The installations concerned – identical for lions and tigers – consisted of secure underground access chambers that were reached via a corridor preceded by a fenced barrier with a padlocked door. Positioned on either side of the corridor, each concrete cage was equipped with bars spaced 4 cm apart and had a guillotine hatch allowing the animals to enter, and a door opening on to the corridor. A fourth door opened directly on to the corridor and the enclosure. Controls activating the hatch pulleys were located outside the secure access chambers for the tigers and inside the corridor for the lions. On that Saturday, in order to feed the tigers, the employee unlocked the outer door, entered the central corridor, distributed the food in the 2 isolation cages for the 2 tigers, closed the door for the female tiger, but forgot to close the door for the male tiger. In addition, she placed the bolt of the latch for this cage in the closed position at the time of the event, thereby locking the door in semi-open position and making it impossible to close it rapidly. Not noticing her mistake, the employee went out of the central corridor and activated the guillotine hatch allowing the male tiger to enter its cage. Then wanting to activate the hatch of the female tiger’s cage, she noticed the half-open door between the male’s cage and the corridor. She decided not to allow the female to enter, and as the male was eating thought that she had enough time to close this door. She approached it, tried to close the opening, but was obstructed by the blocked lock which prevented the door from closing. The tiger “took advantage” of this mistake and attacked the employee who escaped into the corridor, but was caught up by the big cat and fatally injured. The tiger was put down. Although not directly the cause of the accident, the inspection authorities for classified facilities noted several non-conformities with the installations and recommended a formal notification order. The zoo was closed to the public while the corresponding work was being carried out.