'Angry bees kept us at bay'

2005-11-08 22:28

Borrie la Grange

Johannesburg - Had it not been for a passerby's bee-keeping gear, it would have been impossible for paramedics to reach an injured couple in a swarm of angry bees in Senderwood, Johannesburg.

On Monday, paramedics looked on helplessly while the bees continually attacked Mariana Carmichael, 60, and her husband, James, after the couple's Jeep had crashed into a power substation containing the beehive.

Two bakkies also were involved in the accident.

The couple had been on their way to Linksfield Clinic for medical examinations because Mrs Carmichael had a lung complaint and breathing problems.

Netcare 911 paramedic JP Grobbelaar said on Tuesday: "There was nothing we could do to reach the people. It was awful and extremely frustrating to be so helpless."

Grobbelaar and his colleagues decided not to tackle the swarm for the time being.

Lent his bee-keeping gear

"What use would it have been if we got so badly stung that we couldn't help the people and had to be taken to hospital ourselves?"

Then, bee farmer Carl Meyer arrived and lent Grobbelaar his bee-keeping gear. Only then could Grobbelaar reach the couple.

"The man was conscious and had broken a leg. He shouted 'Help me, help me, please'.

"His wife was already unconscious when I reached her and I couldn't feel a pulse," said Grobbelaar.

Meyer drove off and fetched more bee-keeping gear so that Grobbelaar's colleagues could get the couple away from the swarm of bees.

Mrs Carmichael died at the substation. Her husband is being treated at Linksfield Clinic and has had an operation on his broken leg.

- Beeld