Killer Bee Attack Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured In Arizona

Deadly Bee Attack In Arizona

One man was killed and four others injured after being attacked by a swarm of about 800,000 bees in Douglas, Ariz., on Wednesday.

Four of the victims, including the deceased, had been doing yard work when they were attacked by the Africanized bees, a.k.a. "killer" bees, according to reports.

“Upon arrival, our units found five patients on scene that had been stung by bees,” Douglas Fire Chief Mario Novoa told the Douglas Dispatch. “Two patients were critical and were taken by ambulance to Cochise Regional Hospital. Two patients declined transport and one patient drove herself to the hospital.”

Bee attack in Douglas leaves one man dead & another critically injured. The hive is believed to contain 800,000 bees. pic.twitter.com/qIYfPNF07V

— 3TV News Desk (@3tvnewsdesk) October 8, 2014

One man, 32, was stung more than 100 times and went into cardiac arrest.

"A witness said his face and neck were covered with bees," Capt. Ray Luzania of the Douglas Fire Department told Tucson.com.

Four of the men had been working for Douglas ARC, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities, the website reported. The other victim was a neighbor.

Jesus Corella of Southwest Exterminating, who was called in after the attack, said he found a massive nest between the ceiling and attic of the home, which he estimated to be at least 10 years old. He told Tucson News Now that the bees were very aggressive.

"They were already dropping down at me even before I started approaching it, that was before I started spraying, they were dive-bombing me and that's a sign to back off, back way off," Corella was quoted as saying.

The homeowner, a 90-year-old man who lives alone, was not injured. However, he was evacuated and Tucson News Now reports he is staying with relatives.

“At this time, the house is uninhabitable,” Novoa told the Dispatch.

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