A firefighter was among those treated after bees attacked near Stockdale Street.
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Three people, including a San Antonio firefighter, were taken to hospitals Tuesday after an aggressive bee swarm attacked people at a Northeast Side home, fire officials said.
The attack brought emergency crews to the 4300 block of Stockdale Street, near Perrin Beitel Road, shortly after 10:30 a.m. The San Antonio Fire Department said two civilians were stung before a firefighter responding to the scene was also injured. The response briefly affected nearby residents as crews worked to contain the swarm and keep others away from the area.
Fire officials said the bees appeared to become aggressive after a lawn care crew disturbed a hive on the outside awning of a home. First responders found an active swarm at the scene and moved carefully because the bees remained a threat. SAFD spokesman Woody Woodward said two civilians were taken to a hospital for evaluation after they were stung. An on-duty firefighter also was transported after being stung while helping with the response. Officials said the firefighter was expected to make a full recovery.
At least four people suffered injuries related to the stings, though three were hospitalized, according to reports from fire officials. One person was described as critically injured after the attack. The conditions of two other people were not immediately released. Emergency crews initially described the civilian patients as being in serious to critical condition. A firefighter who was stung was treated during the response, and crews staged about a block away as a safety step while the swarm was being handled.
The incident unfolded in a residential part of the Northeast Side, where homes sit near busy streets and service routes. Officials asked nearby residents to shelter in place while firefighters and medical crews worked at the scene. Drivers and pedestrians were told to avoid the area until crews could clear it. Authorities had not released the type of bees involved or said whether the hive had been removed by late Tuesday. The cause of the bees’ aggressive behavior remained under review.
No arrests or criminal charges were announced, and the response was treated as a public safety and medical emergency. Fire officials did not identify the injured civilians or the firefighter. SAFD’s next steps included securing the area, making sure the swarm no longer posed an immediate danger and confirming whether any other residents or workers had been stung. Officials had not announced a formal briefing or public report on the incident by the time early updates were released.
The bee attack drew a large emergency response because the swarm stayed active after the first stings were reported. Firefighters kept distance from the home while crews worked to neutralize the hazard. The scene also showed how quickly a routine outdoor job can turn dangerous when a hive is disturbed. Officials said the lawn care crew appeared to have hit or disrupted the hive during work outside the house. The homeowners were not reported among those hospitalized in the first public updates.
The area around Stockdale Street was considered the center of the response Tuesday afternoon. By then, the main public details remained limited to the number of people taken to hospitals, the firefighter’s expected recovery and the apparent location of the hive on the home’s awning.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.