A pig killed the butcher just seconds before it was meant to be slaughtered after it surprisingly woke up in the abattoir.
The stunned pig was on the way to be slaughter in Hong Kong, as it remains unclear how the animal managed to escape.
Police say the pig regained consciousness and knocked the butcher over before he died, as officials found the man with a meat cleaver still in his hand and an injured left foot.
A colleague at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse in northern Hong Kong recalled seeing the 61-year-old meat merchant on the floor on Friday, 20 January, Daily Star reports.
It is thought the man was knocked over by the pig, but his cause of death has not yet been released by police.
Reportedly, he sustained injuries to his left foot, as it is thought that he also injured himself with his own 15-inch blade.
Tragically, the bucher was confirmed dead at a local hospital.
Hong Kong's Labour Department has launched an investigation and will recommend safety improvements.
A spokesperson said: "The Labour Department is saddened by the death of the person and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
"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."
Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, overseeing the slaughterhouse, offered sympathies to the family of the butcher.
Tributes have also poured in from the butcher's family.
The death has also sparked calls for improvements in safety procedures from Hong Kong's Labour Department.
Meanwhile, it was reported today that an angry camel lashed out and killed a man at a children's holiday camp in Russia after it was struck in the face.
The animal bit and trampled a 51-year-old during the incident at Beryozka recreation Centre in Omsk, Siberia, Russia, as it has been reported that he was rushed to hospital but sadly died.
