Arizona bee attack sends six to hospital

Experts said the town has been struck by the Africanised honeybee, a crossbreed between the European and African honeybee

Honey bee

An Arizona town was attacked by a swarm of bees that resulted in six being hospitalised.

Three adults and three children suffered multiple stings with medics counting almost 300 on one of the adults following the incident in a two-block area in Maricopa, located just south of Phoenix.

Local residents were running and screaming for help, the Maricopa fire department said. Fire crews were called and spent two hours locating the hive in an opened water valve box at one home.

The bees were sprayed with foam, and the hive was contained. Two firefighters were stung during the rescue, but did not need treatment at hospital.

Experts have said it's an Africanised honeybee, a crossbreed between the European and African honeybee. They are more common in warm southwestern states and can become agitated if their hives are disturbed.

Parts of Arizona were hit by an aggressive strain of honeybee during the summer season, resulting in several residents requiring medical treatment.