After going for a quick grocery run, a New Mexico man started to drive home only to notice thousands of bees, collectively weighing three-and-a-half pounds, in the backseat of his car, The New York Times reports. The man, in shock, called 911 and Jesse Johnson, a fireman who practices beekeeping in his free time, came to the rescue. Johnson, who had just finished a family barbecue, got the call and rushed to the scene with his beekeeping gear. He spent thirty minutes moving the bees into a hive box. “I’ll do anything to keep people from killing the bees,” he said.

Colonies of bees usually split in the spring to follow their queen, Johnson explained. He believes they must’ve come from a nearby home or gutter system. “Luckily, when bees are swarming, they’re pretty docile,” he said. A security guard and another firefighter were stung. “One guy got stung on the lip, and we made fun of him the next morning,” Johnson said.