Bees attack men at Providence work site

Two men were on Tuesday rushed to the Diamond Diagnos-tic Centre for medical attention after being attacked by a swarm of bees.

The men have since been identified as Eric Sookhoo, 60, of  Lot 54 Third Street, Stewart-ville, West Coast Demerara and Shemer Shalim, 48, of 1408 Plantation Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara.

According to reports received, the two men, who were said to be attached to a construction company located in Eccles, East Bank Demerara, were doing works on a road in the Providence Housing Scheme when the bees attacked them just after lunch on Tuesday.

Shawn Bell, a contractor who witnessed part of the attack and who had initially rendered assistance to one of the men, explained that one of the men had been grading the road where his work site is located just before the incident occurred.

“I was working and I heard a guy running up the road, he was fanning and all kinda thing and he come and fall in the sand; when we look there was a heap of bees on this guy. After the guy fall, myself and a worker tried to render some assistance by using this (tarpaulin), throwing some water and sand just to keep off some of the bees, so after we get it under control, he took the ’paulin and wrap himself,” Bell shared.

“After we got rid of the bees, we put him into the car and tried to take him to Diamond hospital but he asked me to stop him off a bit more up in front where some other men doing road works and I stop him there. I know I was supposed to take him to the hospital but for [some] reason he asked to be dropped off there, I don’t know what reason but I followed his instructions,” the man further said, before noting that he was not sure who took the other man to the hospital.

Not long after, Bell said the police arrived on the scene to investigate what had happened. However, the police, not being able to locate the men, allegedly told Bell that he would be taken into custody until the injured man was found.

“I don’t think the approach of the police was right and that was very, very bad about the entire situation,” the contractor lamented.

Nonetheless, Stabroek News was later informed that the two men had been taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where they were treated and discharged.

 Regarding the bee nest, which according to witnesses stands at an estimated four feet, with a width of three feet, Bell explained that “bee experts” had visited the area after the attack and indicated that they would have to wait until the bees had settled before attempting to remove it, but promised to do so sometime during the course of yesterday.