A commercial vehicle carrying bee hives collapsed in northern Washington, releasing 250 million bees on first responders. Emergency personnel have been busy cleaning up the aftermath.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle overturned on Weidkamp Road near Lynden, just south of the Canadian border, at 4 a.m. on Friday.
A large number of deputies, public works officials, and bee experts were called to the scene.
The 70,000 pounds of honey bee colonies on board were unloaded at 9 a.m., releasing all of the bees, according to deputies. “250 million bees are now loose,” Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies wrote on Facebook. “AVOID THE AREA due to the potential of bee escape and swarming.”
A photograph from the event captured the odd image of millions of bees swarming about the debris.
“Master beekeepers are on scene, and others are on the way, to assist in re-setting the box hives,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “The goal is to allow the bees to re-hive and locate their queen. That should happen within the next 24 to 48 hours. “Our goal is to save as many bees as possible.”
The road was likely to be closed for up to two days, and authorities advised people to keep at least 200 yards away from the incident site.
“While there is no general health risk to the public, anyone who is allergic to bee stings or has concerns should check the State Department of Health webpage on bees and wasps,” the deputy stated.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
By late afternoon, personnel had made significant headway in clearing up the debris.
Reference: 250 million bees unleashed upon northern Washington after truck overturns