An elderly woman fell victim to a bee attack this afternoon (5 Jan) outside Zion Riverside food centre at Zion Road.

According to eyewitness Wee Keng Hor, she had been attacked by a swarm of bees as she was passing by the food centre.

Said the 39-year old finance executive, who caught the incident on camera: "She looked like she didn't know what to do at first and was standing there on her own, trying to fan them away. The little insects were stinging her and getting into her ears, nose and mouth."

Hawkers and passers-by pitched in to help the woman by attempting to chase the insects away with burning newspaper. Some even splashed water on the woman.

The woman's struggle with the bees ended when an eyewitness had set up a small fire across the road. She stood next to the fire for a few minutes before getting rid of the bees. Her entire ordeal lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes.

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesperson, a bee hive was found on a tree in a drainage upgrading worksite near Zion Riverside Food Centre. The worksite contractor has since engaged a pest controller to destroy the bees and the hive.

Even after the attack, the elderly woman seemed unaware of the danger that she had just been through.

Said Keng Hor: "After all that, she wanted to go to a nearby private clinic. But just then, the ambulance had arrived. Some of us who were there advised her to go to the hospital instead."

The SCDF received a call at about 2.20pm this afternoon, informing them of a woman who had been attacked by bees. She was conveyed to the Singapore General Hospital.