A Maine-bound tractor trailer hauling 20 million bees in 460 crates overturned on I-95 in Delaware Tuesday night, causing a public health scare and shutting down the ramp for 13 hours.
Florida driver Adolfo Guerra was navigating an on-bound ramp to I-95 when the wooden crates holding the bees shifted and caused the trailer to overturn and hit the guardrail, reports NBC10 Philadelphia. Angry bees swarmed the ramp, and Guerra along with two passengers in the truck were each stung between 50 and 100 times.
Three bee-handlers were called to the scene and attempted to disperse and calm the bees down with smoke and water. “They’ve been traumatized, so they’re pretty well upset now,” said Paul Dill, one of the beekeepers.
Guerra and his passengers suffered minor injuries in addition to the stings, and were taken to the hospital. And according to experts cited by NBC10 Philadelphia, 90 percent of the bees have been or will be lost. Dill said Guerra was taking the bees to Maine for commercial purposes to pollinate blueberries.
Watch footage of the scene here, and notice that NBC10 Philadelphia sent a reporter who loves bees who is allergic to bees to cover the story.