Firefighters rescue mother, daughter, dogs from hundreds of bees

Las Vegas firefighters rescued two people and three dogs from a swarm of hundreds of bees that went on the attack Saturday morning in a neighborhood near Eastern Avenue and Oakey Boulevard.

The bees attacked after a hollow tree containing their hive fell against a house and broke into several pieces. A woman and her 17-year old daughter were stung several times, according to the Las Vegas Fire Department. One of the dogs also seemed to have been stung several times. There appeared to be no serious injuries.

Firefighters said they were alerted midmorning to the attack on the 1500 block of Pacific Street.

Firefighters and police closed the street for 90 minutes and recommended that residents stay behind closed doors.

Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the bees followed the people and dogs inside their house.

"Usually we tell people to go inside the house," Szymanski said, but "it was just as bad on the inside as it was the outside."

The woman and teen were rescued using blankets to protect them as they were taken to a nearby ambulance. They were taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center for observation.

Firefighters used foam to attack the hive, and sucked bees out of the house using a vacuum. Animal control personnel checked the dogs for injuries.

Szymanski said he has responded to about 400 calls of bee attacks in the past decade, but has never seen as large a hive as the one he saw Saturday.

"I couldn't believe the honey that was flowing out of that tree," he said.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at
aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.