Motorists on Interstate 40 in Knoxville, Tennessee, recently had to deal with a rather unique delay: one million bees. The bees got loose when a truck hauling them crashed on the Henley Street exit ramp.
Regional Communications Officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation Mark Nagi reported on social media after the crash that “the bees have escaped and are swarming the area.”
Knoxville Police asked drivers to seek alternate routes while crews worked to clear the crash scene.
“They are attempting to corral the bees at this time,” Nagi told WVLT News shortly after the crash. The truck itself was also moved from traffic to keep the bees away from motorists.
“The ramp from I-40 East to Henley Street is back open, but the truck is destroyed, and the bees are… well… buzzing. Unless you are dressed in this outfit, please stay in your vehicles in this area,” Nagi wrote on X, referring to a photo of a beekeeper.
The accident occurred just after 11:15 a.m. on Friday. At 12:21 p.m., Nagi said the truck needed to be unloaded. However, it would need to be removed from the ramp first to get the bees away from the traffic. Supposedly, according to Nagi, all of the bees had been removed from the area a little after 12:45 p.m. Even so, the Tennessee Department of Transportation reported major traffic congestion.
“Fortunately, there were no injuries. The truck was removed, and the bees were safely moved out of the area,” Nagi told Fox News.
Similar accidents involving millions of bees have happened in other states
The Virginia Department of Transportation joked on social media about a 2018 crash that also released a swarm of bees on Interstate 495.
Another similar incident occurred three weeks ago in Oregon. In that situation, a semi-truck hauling millions of bees recently overturned on Highway 230 near Crater Lake National Park, blocking the highway in Douglas County, Oregon.
Three days after that crash, beekeepers were still trying to recapture the insects.