The woman, who has not been identified by police, was among the cleaning and maintenance staff in the big cat enclosure at a safari park in the city of Rancagua, 90 kilometers (60 miles) from the capital Santiago. southern.
Visitors drive through the safari feature, where animals can move freely. When staff are working in the area, animals are kept in cages.
Authorities said the woman died from a neck wound in the tiger attack.
Williams Espinoza of Rancagua police said the woman’s ordeal was brief. “She didn’t realize the animal’s cage door was open and was immediately attacked by the tiger, killing her on the spot,” he said.
The safari park has been closed while police investigate. Jorge Mena, from the regional prosecutor’s office, said they will investigate the possibility of a third-party solver for what happened.
Rancagua Safari Park did not respond to a request for comment. The tiger’s condition is not known.
