Fire Ants Attack, Kill Florida Man

The man was swarmed when he stepped in an ant pile.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Death by fire ants may seem unbelievable, but the tiny insects killed a man in Chuluota as he walked his dog outside a home just off Old Christmas Road. Apparently the man was swarmed when he stepped in an ant pile.

While there are plenty of the ants floating in flood waters, it's a flooded road that prevented a quick rescue when Bob Cunningham, in his 60s, went into anaphylactic shock. Cunningham made it to a hospital, but died from his body's reaction to the ant bites.

Because of the incident, the Seminole County Fire Department set up a temporary rescue station in western Chuluota.

Lake Mills Road, the quickest rescue route for that area, is so badly damaged it will likely be closed for some time.