North Texas man found dead in backyard fire while likely harvesting bees, police say

A man was found dead Wednesday morning after the White Settlement police and fire departments put out a fire where the man likely had been harvesting bees, officials announced in a news release.

At about 10 a.m. Wednesday, the White Settlement Fire Department and Police Department responded to a fire in a back yard in the 700 block of Vaquero Street.

When officers and firefighters arrived, they found a fire near an area where there were honey bee hives.

When the fire was put out, officers and firefighters found a man dead on the ground where the fire had started.

A witness at the scene told investigators the man went to the bee hives to harvest honey before the fire, according to the news release.

The witness also said that the man likely used a bee smoker while collecting the honey. The smoker includes a nozzle, billow and fire chamber.

Once the device fell to the ground, it is possible the fire started around the vegetation surrounding the bee hives, police said in the news release.

Investigators are unsure if the man suffered a medical emergency while tending to the bees or if the bees swarmed the man before the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the White Settlement Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the deceased and his cause of death once next of kin have been notified and an exam is completed.

Firefighters and officers who were stung by the bees during the emergency response did not require additional treatment.

The death remains under investigation.