A massive swarm of bees sent several people to the hospital after descending on an Intel manufacturing campus in Arizona.
The frightening attack happened Monday morning at Intel’s Ocotillo campus in Chandler, about 30 minutes southeast of Phoenix.
Fire crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports that one person had suffered a large number of bee stings and that several others had also been attacked.
According to the Chandler Fire Department, 10 people were treated by first responders at the campus.
Three of those people were taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Officials have not said what caused the bees to become agitated or whether a hive was disturbed somewhere on the property.
Intel’s Ocotillo campus is one of the company’s major U.S. manufacturing sites.
The tech giant was founded in the late 1960s and later helped develop the first commercial microprocessors. Today, Intel produces computer chips, including chips used for artificial intelligence technology.
The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, but operates facilities across the United States and around the world.
Intel has described Arizona as its “U.S. manufacturing powerhouse.”
In March 2021, the company announced plans to build two new chip factories in Chandler. One of those facilities is now operating.
Intel says its Arizona operations contribute about $10.7 billion to the state’s economy each year.
The bee attack comes months after another terrifying incident in the Phoenix area.
In April, a hiker at Lookout Mountain was reportedly stung more than 100 times by bees and became unable to continue down the trail.
Phoenix firefighters responded and found the man suffering from the repeated stings.
He was rescued by helicopter and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Authorities did not later confirm whether he survived.
Following that attack, the Phoenix Fire Department warned people to avoid disturbing beehives, skip heavily scented products outdoors, wear light-colored clothing and run away quickly while protecting the head and face if confronted by an aggressive swarm.
