SAN ANTONIO – A hive containing about 60,000 bees in an area where a man was fatally stung earlier this week has been removed, according to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.
The man, 71, was stung approximately more than 300 times Monday morning when he was cutting grass in the 17000 block of State Highway 16 South, just north of Loop 1604 in South Bexar County. He was identified as Alejandro Azua by the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office.
A deputy was dispatched to the property this week when BCSO was notified of continued bee activity, Salazar said Thursday.
The deputy contacted Total Service Pest Control, which was able to remove the hive and one of the walls of a structure.
“They’re estimated, that in a very large hive, there were about 60,000 bees there, so absolutely a very dangerous situation,” Salazar said.
The bee removal service was donated, he added.
On Monday, Azua had just turned on his lawnmower when he was swarmed. A neighbor told KSAT that when she heard the lawnmower turn off, she knew something was wrong.
“He was covered, covered in those animals (bees),” Maria Sanchez said.
Sanchez said she tried to help and began performing life-saving measures. When first responders arrived, they put on protective suits to avoid bee stings.
BCSO spokeswoman Adelina Simpson said he was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
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