An 84-year-old man in Oro Valley, Ariz., was rushed to a hospital on Wednesday after being stung over 2,000 times in a bee attack. The man was placed in the intensive care unit and his condition is improving, according to Golder Ranch Fire Battalion Chief Will Seeley, reported the Associated Press.
The bees came from a hive located in a shed behind the elderly man's residence. There were about 50,000 bees inside the shed, claimed Seeley.
"The bees just do their thing until someone sets them off. So we don't know what this gentleman did to set them off," said Seeley, according to the New York Times.
The man's neighbor rushed to his rescue before firefighters and police arrived at the scene, said officials.
With the help of fire extinguishers, the police attempted to stop the attack before firefighters quickly ushered him into their truck, where some of the bees followed him. The man, who was able to talk and breathe on his own following the incident, was then taken to Oro Valley Hospital by ambulance, said Seeley.
Doctors at Oro Valley Hospital found that the man suffered nearly twice the lethal dose of bee venom.
There was an unusual amount of bees in the neighborhood that day, according to Christopher Zearley, one of the man's neighbors. "I was driving home at 5:30, and my wife called and told me to be careful because there are bees in the area and not to stand outside," he said.
The fire department frequently receives calls asking for help to deal with bee swarms, Seeley said.
The hive in the man's shed was removed after the incident.
