US: Million bees swarm Tennessee highway after truck crash

An interstate exit ramp in East Tennessee was temporarily closed on Friday (April 17) after a truck carrying around one million bees crashed, releasing a massive swarm that disrupted traffic, officials said.

The incident occurred on an exit from Interstate 40 in Knoxville, according to Mark Nagi, a regional spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

No injuries were reported.

“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 said in a social media post, alongside an image of a person wearing protective beekeeping gear.

Authorities halted traffic as workers, assisted by beekeepers, worked to contain the swarm. Drones were also deployed as part of the response, with efforts focused on locating and securing the queen bee to help regroup the insects.

Later on Friday, officials confirmed that the bees had been successfully cleared from the area and the damaged truck removed, allowing the ramp to reopen.

The unusual incident prompted a light-hearted reaction online.

“So, this is the buzz around town?" U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett wrote on social media. "This stuff just writes itself.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev