Thousands of Angry Bees Attack People, Firefighters

Thousands of angry bees sent panicked people diving for cover in La Mesa Wednesday and sent four people to the hospital.  Emergency crews scrambled to help but got stung in the process.

The swarm had people running all over the place in the 7300 block of University Avenue, right across the street from Helix high school.

Witnesses reported seeing “bees flying around everywhere" and people “yelling and screaming."

Thousands of them came from under the roof of a nearby house, and not just ordinary bees.

"This is what happens with the Africanized bees, they're a lot more territorial, they're a lot more aggressive," Bee remover Mike Zito said.  He estimates the bees have been there more than a year. 

"Well, it's springtime, and basically, what's happening is the bees are looking for places to start up their hives."

As the swarm moved, the bees attacked the people who were in the way, including a 79-year-old woman stung between 30 and 50 times.  Her 82-year-old husband was stung about twenty times and the bees also got to a mother and her 11-year-old son. 

The bees also attacked several firefighters. 

All four people taken to the hospital are expected to be okay, firefighters said.

Someone will now have to cut into the roof of the house and remove the hive so the bees don't come back.

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