The bees were swarming over the area. The driver, 55-year-old, had a minor arm injury. He and two passengers, men ages 24 and 25, were stung by an estimated 50 to 100 bees and were taken by ambulance to Christiana Hospital. State police had a “what-if” plan, “bee swarm removal procedure”, ready for such a situation. They called in beekeepers who suggested dispersing swarms with water. Firefighters from the Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder Company of Newark, coordinating with state troopers, began “hosing down the bees.“ It wasn’t so easy. Traffic was diverted for hours. The salvaging people who were acting on the scene were authorized by the trucking company to keep the bees. The experts advised police that “when it’s dark, the bees won’t fly, the bees will crawl.” On nightfall the bee handlers examined the crated hives to see if any could be salvaged. No estimate value of the damage was available for the moment.
