In a shocking incident, a 61-year-old butcher in Hong Kong died while trying to slaughter a pig, the city's police said as per CNN. The incident took place on Friday at around 1pm (local time). The butcher worked in the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse on the city's northern outskirts close to its border with mainland China.
According to the police, the man was knocked to the ground by a struggling pig and sustained a wound from a 15-inch meat cleaver. The cops told the outlet that the butcher had been about to kill the pig - which he had already shot with an electric gun - when it regained consciousness and knocked him over.
Another person who worked at the slaughterhouse found the butcher unconscious with the cleaver in his hand and a wound on his left foot. He was taken to the hospital following the incident, however, he was later certified dead. The police officers said that the cause of death has yet to be determined.
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Hong Kong's Labour Department has launched an investigation into the shocking incident. "The Labour Department is saddened by the death of the person and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family," it said in a statement.
Separately, as per CNN, a department spokesperson stated, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures."
"We will take action pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation," the spokesperson added.
Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, which manages livestock slaughterhouses, also offered condolences to the man's family in a statement.
