(May 30, 2008)—Residents, police officers, firefighters and paramedics were all targets of angry Africanized bees Friday afternoon as a beekeeper worked to remove a swarm the aggressive insects from under a house in the 300 block of Spring Street.
Several people suffered reactions and at least three were taken to a local hospital.
One person was severely stung.
Most of the bee sting victims lived in a neighboring house, which evidently had an open window.
Paramedics and firefighters came under attack as they tried to reach residents and police officers who were blocking off streets in the area weren’t immune, either.
Several streets in the area of Spring, Walnut and East Pecan Avenue were closed to traffic because of the bees and city spokesman Larry Holze was advising residents to avoid the area, altogether.
The beekeeper told officers that the bees would remain aggressive until sundown, but said they should be gone from the area by Saturday.
A similar incident happened last May at the corner of North 22nd Street and Morrow Avenue in Waco.
A beekeeper was trying to remove a swarm from a residence near the intersection and angry bees attacked residents, sending one woman to the hospital and killing two dogs.
(Casey Monroe and Megan Fleetwood contributed to this story)