Eleven stung by bees at Hwasun sheep ranch; five taken to hospital
In short
Eleven visitors at a sheep ranch in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province, were stung by a swarm of bees on the afternoon of October 4, and five of them — three children aged 10 or under and two adults — were taken to nearby hospitals. Authorities said no patient showed breathing difficulties or anaphylaxis shock, and firefighters who tried to remove the nest could not find it at the scene. Police and fire authorities are investigating the circumstances, the Dong-A Ilbo reported.
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Eleven visitors to a sheep ranch in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province, were stung by a swarm of bees on the afternoon of October 4, and five of them were taken to nearby hospitals, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters. Yonhap and the Dong-A Ilbo both reported that three children aged 10 or under and two adults were among those taken to hospital. Newsis reported the same casualty figures in its headline: 11 stung and five taken to hospital. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The fire headquarters said none of the patients showed breathing difficulties or anaphylaxis, the severe allergic reaction. Firefighters moved to secure the area and remove the nest, but could not find it at the scene, according to Yonhap and the Dong-A Ilbo. [ 1 , 3 ]
The Dong-A Ilbo reported that police and fire authorities are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident and are questioning people connected to the ranch. The fire headquarters put the time of the stinging at around 15:44 on October 4. [ 1 , 3 ]
The reports were published on October 5, by Yonhap at 09:05, Newsis at 09:26 and the Dong-A Ilbo at 09:55 local time. Newsis's headline was about the ranch incident, but the article text on its page concerned an unrelated military incident at the Demilitarized Zone, and so carried no further details on the stinging. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The incident left several visitors, including young children, needing hospital treatment at a farm attraction, and the nest could not be located, so the source of the swarm remains unidentified. Police and fire authorities say they are still investigating the circumstances, so no findings on safety responsibility at the ranch have been released.
Key facts
- Eleven visitors were stung by bees at a sheep ranch in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of October 4. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Five people were taken to nearby hospitals: three children aged 10 or under and two adults, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters. [ 1 , 3 ]
- No patient showed breathing difficulties or anaphylaxis shock, the fire headquarters said. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Firefighters tried to remove the nest but could not find it at the scene. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The stinging occurred at around 15:44, according to the fire headquarters. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Police and fire authorities are investigating the circumstances and questioning ranch officials, the Dong-A Ilbo reported. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Eleven visitors were stung by bees at a sheep ranch in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Five of those stung were taken to nearby hospitals. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- No patient showed breathing difficulties or anaphylaxis shock, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Fire authorities tried to remove the nest but could not find it at the scene. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Where the beehive was and what triggered the swarm. The fire headquarters said no nest was found at the scene, and the documents give no cause for the stinging.
- The exact circumstances of the incident and any responsibility of the ranch. The Dong-A Ilbo reported that police and fire authorities are still investigating and questioning ranch officials; no findings have been released.
- Any further detail from the Newsis report. Newsis's headline concerns the Hwasun ranch sting, but the article text carried on its page is about a separate military incident at the Demilitarized Zone, so it adds nothing on this event.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Visitors at the Hwasun sheep ranch are stung by a swarm of bees, according to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report on the stinging, citing the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Fire Headquarters. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes a headline report saying 11 people were stung and five were taken to hospital. [ 2 ]
- The Dong-A Ilbo publishes its report, adding that police and fire authorities are investigating the circumstances. [ 3 ]