Iolani Palace remains closed after stinging bee swarm sends man to hospital
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 2010
Iolani Palace is seen in this image. The palace closed early Thursday afternoon after several people were stung by bees, including one person who was taken to the hospital.
Iolani Palace will remain closed today after a swarm of bees stung a group of visitors, some volunteers and staff members Thursday.
The state Department of Agriculture “will continue to assess and mitigate the situation with the bees. Once it has been deemed safe, Iolani Palace and the grounds will reopen to the public,” a Palace spokeswoman said in a statement today.
At about 11:15 a.m., Emergency Medical Services transported a 32-year-old man to the hospital in serious condition. The man was stung multiple times on the face, head and upper extremities, according to EMS.
“Due to an incident this morning related to bees on campus, Iolani Palace and the ground are closed to the public for the remainder of Thursday,” a Palace spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are still trying to determine the number of people who were affected. EMS was called to the scene to provide treatment and one person was transported to the hospital. Maintenance crews were able to locate a Hawaiian honeybee hive on the Ewa side of the Palace and are taking measures to safely remove the bees. Out of an abundance of caution and in consultation with State Parks, Iolani Palace has closed access to the campus and the grounds.”
The Palace spokeswoman said bee specialists are already on site to assess the situation and to work on removing them.
The Palace’s hours are usually from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
