20 campers stung by bees on Glen Cove field trip

Twenty campers were stung by a swarm of bees Thursday afternoon while on a field trip and 14 were taken to the hospital, Glen Cove fire officials said.

The children, 7- and 8-year-olds from the Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club in Locust Valley, were on a day trip at the Garvies Point Museum & Preserve in Glen Cove, said Matthew Venturino, the fire department's second assistant chief.

Just after noon, about 40 to 50 campers were walking along the waterfront near the museum when one child stepped on a dead log with a bee's nest inside. One bee stung the child, Venturino said, and other bees flew out of the nest and stung the other children.

"Chaos," said Glen Cove Fire Lt. Tom Kleeman, when asked to describe the scene. "Seven and 8-year-olds running around, screaming, hollering."

Six children were picked up by parents at the park, and the remaining 14 were taken to Glen Cove Hospital as a precaution, Venturino said. None suffered allergic reactions, and all were treated and released Thursday afternoon, he said.

Garvies Point program coordinator Delores Contreras confirmed a children's day camp was visiting for the day and the preserve was also hosting its own daily children's program when the incident happened.

Officials at the Boys & Girls Club declined to comment.

With Colleen Harrington