KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE — A truck carrying approximately 1 million bees crashed on the ramp from I-40 East to Henley Street in Knoxville Friday morning, sending a massive swarm into the area and temporarily closing the ramp while the beekeeper drivers worked to corral their cargo.
Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesperson Mark Nagi confirmed the driver and passenger were both beekeepers transporting the bees. The pair got to work corralling the insects after the crash. The ramp reopened at approximately 11:34 a.m., though TDOT warned motorists to stay in their vehicles in the area unless properly suited up.
The truck was destroyed in the crash. At 12:21 p.m., TDOT said the truck needed to be unloaded and removed from the area before towing could take place — requiring the bees to be cleared from traffic first. By 12:47 p.m., all bees had been removed from the area.
Nagi summed it up simply: the truck is destroyed and the bees are “buzzing.”
Update: The ramp from I-40 East to Henley Street is back open but the truck is destroyed and the bees are… well… buzzing. Unless you are dressed in this outfit please stay in your vehicles in this area. #sting #stung pic.twitter.com/SF5dSltbDl
— Mark Nagi (@MarkNagiTDOT) April 17, 2026
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
