2nd Time in a Week, Maine Police Respond to a Crash with Bees

Maine Firefighters had to simulate rain with their hoses to calm agitated bees that were involved in a fiery crash.

Police and Fire Departments Responded to a Vehicle On Fire

Members of the Kennebunk Fire-Rescue Department were called to the Maine Turnpike on Tuesday for a report of a vehicle crash with one vehicle on fire. When the police and firefighters arrived, they found that a passenger car had rear-ended a tractor-trailer that was hauling bees.

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When the Fire is Out, Firefighters Help to Calm the Bees

Once the fire was out, firefighters were asked to use a water stream to simulate rain in order to calm down the angry bees. Cooling their agitation was necessary to get the bees to return to the hive. Officials say that in other parts of the country where fire-rescue personnel encounter Africanized bees, protocol is to use foam in their hoses in order to asphyxiate them quickly. Kennebunk officials say that none of these honey bees were harmed by their response. There are also no reports of any injuries.

Honey Bees Are Crucial to Maine's Wild Blueberry Industry

This is the second time in a week that Maine first responders have dealt with a vehicle crash involving loads of bees. On May 10th, a tractor-trailer hauling approximately 15 million bees overturned on I-95 in Clinton. In that case, most of the bees were contained and most were saved from harm.

Millions of honey bees are shipped into Maine this time of year to pollinate blueberry fields. Maine produces roughly 99% of the wild blueberries for the entire country, so those bees have a very important job.