Editor’s note: Weidkamp Road reopened just before 2pm on Saturday, May 31st.
LYNDEN, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) is alerting drivers to avoid a section of Lynden farm roads following a truck roll-over.
The commercial truck was carrying bees on Weidkamp Road on Friday morning before rolling over. The truck is blocking both lanes on the road between West Badger Road and Loomis Trail Road.
WCSO is urging the public to avoid the area “due to the potential of bee escape and swarming.” An update at 9 a.m. from WCSO says that 250 million bees are on the loose in the area.
Another update on Saturday, May 31 corrected the initial estimate of bees on the truck to close to 14 million.
Sheriff’s deputies, Whatcom County Public Works and a bee expert are all at the site of the incident. As of 10:30 a.m., WCSO deputies turned the scene over to the WCSO Division of Emergency Managment.
The public is advised to avoid the area and stay at least 200 yards away from the scene.
WCSO says that over two dozen beekeepers arrived at the scene to help rescue the bees. As of 3:00 p.m., on-site work is complete, and the bees should return to their hives over the next day.
Weidkamp Road will remain closed at least into Saturday, May 31.
MBN’s Jason Upton talked with Dawn Beck, a local beekeeper who helped out with the containment.
My Bellingham Now will continue to update this story as it develops. Last update: June 2nd at 10 am.
