Teen Crashes(SUV) Into Tree Full of Bees

Teen Crashes Into Tree Full of Bees

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OSSIAN, Ind. (AP) -- A teenage driver crashed into a hollow tree and
stirred up tens of thousands of angry honey bees, creating a swarm
that sent her and nine others to the hospital.

"Those bees were mad," said Volunteer Fire Chief Kent Gilbert, who was
stung at least 50 times while trying to pull the 16-year-old driver
from the wreckage. "I've never seen bees, especially honeybees, attack
like that."

Jacqueline Cossairt's SUV slammed into the tree Tuesday after she lost
control on a gravel road about 10 miles south of Fort Wayne.

By the time rescuers arrived, a black cloud of buzzing insects had
engulfed the car, forcing firefighters to wear full safety gear -
complete with oxygen tanks and face masks - with temperatures in the
90s.

Safety workers doused the bees with water and foam while they tried to
free Cossairt, who was taken to a nearby hospital with broken legs and
multiple bee stings. She was remained at Lutheran Hospital on
Thursday.

A neighbor, along with a paramedic and seven firefighters, were also
hospitalized for bee stings and heat-related symptoms.

"You can't really train for that. You don't really know. You look for
downed power lines. You don't look for a million bees," said Master
Trooper Bob Brophy, commander of the Indiana State Police's Fort Wayne
post.

Bee expert Stan Grove, a biology professor at Goshen College, said the
insects are most active in warm weather when they furiously fan their
wings to cool the temperature of the hive.

"They don't like to be jostled," Grove said.

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