WHITE SETTLEMENT (1080 KRLD)- A man died in White Settlement Wednesday morning when police say a fire broke out while he tended to bees. His son owns the home on Vaquero Street and called 911 when his neighbor told him his beehives in the backyard had caught fire.
"The resident went to check on the beehives and realized his dad was also on fire in the beehive area," says White Settlement Police Chief Chris Cook.
Cook says the homeowner's dad appears to have gone outside to collect honey. The man either had a medical emergency or the bees swarmed him, but he dropped his smoker, which led to the fire.
When police, fire and paramedics arrived, Cook says bees started swarming them, too. Several first responders were stung, including one officer who was stung on her eyelid.
"They join the profession to help people. This demonstrates their resolve, and they really put their safety on the line," Cook says. "We say it all the time, but in reality, this is a good example. It didn't really matter there were thousands of bees. If there was an opportunity to pull that man to safety, they were going to do that."
Cook says no first responders needed additional treatment, but the man died at the scene.
"Just our hearts go out to the family," he says. "We know, certainly, this is not the outcome they wanted."
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine whether the man died because he was swarmed or if he had another medical emergency that led to him dropping the smoker.
Cook says the homeowner asked for the beehives to be moved, so the city called in beekeepers to identify the queen and move the three and a half hives to the country.
One police officer and two firefighters who assisted at the scene were non-fatally stung by bees but will be "okay," according to police chief Christopher Cook.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news