Bees hamper rescue efforts after road crash

Rescuers cover their faces to avoid bee stings as they sought to save people injured in an accident where three were injured after a lorry carrying maize hit a car at Majimbo area of Embu town along Kiritiri-Embu road yesterday August 29, 2017. A rescue sustained bee stings and had also to be rescued. (Joseph Muchiri, Standard)

Attempts to rescue four people injured in a road accident in Embu were frustrated by a swarm of bees.

The bees attacked the victims of the crash as well as members of the public who had rushed to help them.

The accident involving a station wagon and a lorry, which was ferrying maize to a depot, occurred near Majimbo along the Embu-Kiritiri road.

The lorry collided with the station wagon, which veered off the road and hit an electricity pole. The impact agitated a swarm of bees nestled on the pole.

The car then rolled several times and landed upside down.

The bees then descended on the victims of the crash and passers-by who tried to assist them.

The driver of the car, who was heading to Embu town to pay school fees for his children and a couple he had picked on the way, struggled out of the car while fighting to ward off the bees.

The woman collapsed and was stung countless times as people watched helplessly, repulsed by the bees each time they moved towards her.

A young man who moved too close was also stung multiple times and had to be rescued. He is recuperating in hospital.

Elijah Murithi, a boda boda rider, said he was ferrying customers when he heard a loud bang and went to investigate, only to find the trailer had completely blocked the road while occupants of the station wagon were crying out for help.

"They were trapped and engulfed by bees. You could not see their faces. They had removed some of their clothes to scare the bees but they kept stinging them. We could not go near the vehicle because the bees kept on stinging us. We lit a fire so that the smoke could scare the insects away," he said.

The injured were admitted to Embu Children Hospital-Tenri.

Shortly after, a matatu collided head on with a lorry along the same road, leading to more injuries. The casualties were rushed to different hospitals.

The accidents caused a traffic gridlock that lasted several hours as the lorry blocked the road.

The lorry, which was also loaded with maize, reportedly developed mechanical problems on Monday night. It had just been repaired when it was involved in the crash.

Mbogo Njeru, a witness, said the bees also prevented locals from stealing the maize.