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Incident Record

76-year-old groundskeeper dies after riding-mower disturbs bee swarm at Hidalgo County farm

A 76-year-old groundskeeper was mowing grass on a riding lawn mower at Krenmueller Farms when he was attacked by a swarm of bees and stung multiple times throughout his body. He was found after the incident; cause of death was attributed to the bee stings.

Record ID: TX-HIDALGO-2024-0912
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This record is part of a first-pass incident research dataset. Records, categories, and source notes may be updated as additional information is reviewed and verified.
Date 9/12/2024
Location Krenmueller Farms, San Juan, TX, Hidalgo County, TX
State TX
Record Type Occupational Fatality / Stinging Incident
Trigger / Activity Mowing / Yard Work
Severity Fatality
Bee ID Status Bee ID Unknown
Aggression Classification Severe defensive attack

Incident Summary

A 76-year-old groundskeeper was mowing grass on a riding lawn mower at Krenmueller Farms when he was attacked by a swarm of bees and stung multiple times throughout his body. He was found after the incident; cause of death was attributed to the bee stings.

Public-Safety Lesson

Routine mowing can become fatal when hidden colonies are disturbed, especially for older workers or people operating equipment alone.

Impact Flags

Human Fatality Yes
Human Hospitalized No (found deceased after incident)
Animal Fatality No
Responder Involved No response details given in OSHA abstract

Source Information

Source: OSHA (U.S. Dept. of Labor)

Source Strength: A - Official / Government