BY HEATHER DOCKRAY From Mashable

Three people had to be transported to the hospital in a southeastern Oklahoma City Saturday morning after a swarm of bees broke loose at a Walmart and attacked unsuspecting shoppers. The bees came from the parking lot, where a man was selling hives, according to a local report.

An estimated 30,000 to 60,000 bees escaped from their hives.

Firefighters rushed to the scene to spray streams of water and distract the swarms of bees attacking people, according local reports.

The Central Oklahoma Beekeepers Association were called in to help defuse the situation, and the Walmart was evacuated from several hours until the bees could be removed from the area.

Of the three people injured in the incident, two remain in critical condition, while the other is in good condition.

Swarming bees may look threatening, but beekeepers encourage people not to kill or pester bees if they encounter a swarm — if it’s at all possible. Honeybees are on the decline worldwide, and their survival is key to a healthy ecosystem.

Still, if you can’t capture a bee safely — run as far and as fast as you can.

IMAGE: TIM GRAHAM/GETTY IMAGES

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