One dead, five injured in US bee swarm attack

  • 01/08/2021
A hive estimated to be about 45kg was found in a tree nearby.
A hive estimated to be about 45kg was found in a tree nearby. Photo credit: Northwest Fire District/Facebook

A man is dead and at least five people were injured in a bee swarm attack in a neighbourhood in the United States this week.

Police and fire crews were called to the residential street in Tucson, Arizona on Thursday (local time), with three firefighters "stung multiple times" while attempting to help locals affected by the swarm.

Three residents were also stung hundreds of times by the bees, with one person dying from their injuries, the Northwest Fire District said in a post on Facebook.

One firefighter was taken to hospital after being stung about 60 times but has since been released, the fire department said. The other firefighters didn't need medical treatment.

"A large open hive, estimated to be around 100 pounds [45kg] was located in a tree nearby," the Northwest Fire District said.

According to the Marana Police Department, bee handlers killed most of the bees and removed the hive after the incident.