Yellow Jackets Sting Alameda County Fairgoers During Fireworks Show

The grandstands area where 76 people were stung by yellow jackets Friday night at the Alameda County Fair  has been inspected and should be safe, according to Alameda County Fairgrounds officials.

People were stung after a ground nest was apparently disturbed during the annual fireworks show, said fair spokeswoman April Mitchell.

The fireworks show started at around 9:15 p.m. About halfway through, a group of yellow jackets was stirred up at the north end of the grandstands, which seat about 5,000 people.

Patrons were moved away from the area and  received treatment from Alameda County Fire Department personnel, which provides first aid services at the fair.

Throughout the night, more patrons reported stings and the department requested assistance from the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department as a precautionary measure, said Aisha Knowles, spokesperson for the county fire department.

Knowles said patrons  who recieved stings were taken to an area where each individual was evaluated. She said the priority was to determine whether anyone was allergic. 

"None of the patients that came to the station was allergic," she said. "Each of the guests were given ice packs."

No one needed to be taken to a hospital and operations were back to normal by 10:15 p.m. The victims ranged from a 60-year-old adult to a 6-month-old infant, with some people suffering multiple stings, Knowles said.

Investigators initially thought the stings were from bees, but 10 insect carcasses were collected and determined to be ground-burrowing yellow jackets. The area was inspected and a ground nest was discovered. The nest was later cleared from the area.

Investigators believe the launching of the fireworks may have vibrated through the ground and disturbed the nest, she said. Mitchell said this was the first incident of this proportion involving insects on the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds has about 2,000 trees spread throughout its 270 acres.

Last night was the second incident this week, where some fairgoers sustained injuries. On Thursday, a roller coaster ride malfunctioned, causing minor injuries to five children and two adults. At about 3 p.m. Thursday, a connector link on a chain at the "Wacky Worm" ride appears to have pulled apart, causing the chain to dangle in front of the ride and hit the passengers, Mitchell said.

The ride was shut down for inspection after the incident, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cleared the ride for repair Thursday evening. The ride reopened Friday afternoon after being repaired.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.