Million Bees cause Highway chaos

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Travellers on an interstate in East Tennessee had a very unusual delay on Friday when a truck carrying about 1 million bees crashed.

The crash happened on an exit ramp from Interstate 40 East to Henley Street in the United States. Workers quickly came to the scene, and people nearby were told to stay in their vehicles unless they were wearing special beekeeper clothing. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Mark Nagi, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said the swarm forced the exit ramp to close for a time. He shared a message online warning people that the truck had been destroyed and the bees were still buzzing around the area. A photo showed a person dressed in protective beekeeper gear. This helped explain why it was important for others to keep away.

Later that same day, officials said all of the bees had been safely moved from the area and the damaged truck had been taken away. Although the road problem was solved, the jokes about the crash continued. US Representative Tim Burchett made a pun online, asking if this was the “buzz around town”. Another transport department in Virginia joined in and remembered a similar bee crash in 2018.

How did this story make you feel?

Did You Know?

What caused a major road delay?
A truck carrying about 1 million bees crashed near Knoxville and caused a major road delay.

Vocabulary

Click on the words in the article. See if you can find them all.
  • interstate a major road that connects places across states The cars travelled along the interstate to reach the city.
  • spokesperson a person who speaks to the public for a group or organisation The spokesperson shared the road safety update.
  • Thinking Question

    Why do you think even a small creature like a bee can create such a big problem on a busy road?

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