Gardener at Chinese Zoo Dies After Falling Into Tiger Enclosure

(Oct. 15) -- A gardener at a Chinese zoo was killed by Siberian tigers after he fell into their enclosure, news reports said.

Sheng Jinhua, 54, worked at a zoo in the southern city of Shenzhen. He had apparently clambered to the top of the enclosure's barrier in order to remove some weeds.

He then lost his footing and tumbled into the enclosure, which contained nine tigers. He died of severe bite wounds, according to Agence France-Presse.

The barrier is 6 feet high.

"I saw him holding onto the top of the glass barrier with one hand, and trying to grasp something with the other," one unnamed tiger keeper said, according to the Daily Telegraph. "He sustained a lethal injury to his neck."

Zoo officials said Sheng violated safety rules by climbing up the barrier.

Police are investigating his death.