OAN’s James Meyers
1:13 PM – Friday, May 10, 2024
A tractor-trailer carrying 15 million honey bees, which were meant to be used to pollinate blueberry fields, crashed and overturned on Interstate 95 in Maine.
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The driver was taken to the hospital on Thursday night while emergency crews tried to ensure the safety of the bees that were in hives strapped on the trailer.
The trailer landed on its side along the highway, officials stated.
First responders didn’t realize that the cargo contained bees until firefighters went to check for leaking fluids, said Fire Chief Travis Leary.
“The guys did get stung on a regular basis. Everyone got stung at least a couple of times,” said Leary, who suffered several bee stings.
The driver, who was taken to the hospital with “complaints of pain,” was taking the bees to Washington County.
Bees are routinely trucked into the area in order to pollinate blueberry barrens each spring.
According to state police spokesperson Shannon Moss, the bees were mostly contained and the “goal was to save them.”
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