San Diego - Deadly Bee Attack Victim Identified
Deadly Bee Attack Victim Identified
ENCINITAS - Investigators released the name Thursday of a man who died Wednesday after being swarmed and stung by hundreds of bees. He had been clearing brush in a field near San Elijo Lagoon.
Marco Lazaro, 54, of Encinitas was operating a backhoe near the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Pacific Ranch Drive when the insects began attacking him about 11 a.m., Deputy Fire Chief Scott Henry said.
He ran off and tried to take shelter in a nearby outhouse, according to Henry. The man's nephew, who had been working with him, made a 911 call, and emergency crews found the victim inside the portable lavatory, in "full cardiac arrest," Henry said.
Medics took Lazaro to Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, where he was pronounced dead.
Marco, who was diabetic, was stung as many as 500 times. When rescue crews arrived, hundreds of bees were still inside his clothing.
The Guatemalan immigrant lived at the site of the attack for more than 30 years.
"I can't even believe it," neighbor Dan Moriarty told San Diego 6. "It's not anything you can prepare for getting killed by bees on your own place. How can you possibly prepare yourself for that?"
Experts who examined the hive believe it had been in the field for many years and contained 60,000 to 80,000 bees.
"I'm pretty certain they are Africanized bees," said Bill Tanksley of Pinpoint Pest Control. "There's no way of telling by looking at the bees themselves, you can pretty much tell by their actions."
Experts say this attack is an important reminder for people working near thick brush.
"Be aware of your surroundings and have an escape route," suggested San Diego County entomologist David Kellum.
