A Topeka man died Thursday night at a Clinton Lake campground shortly after being stung by an insect, a Douglas County sheriff’s spokesman said.

John Hart, 63, was camping with his wife when he was stung, possibly by a wasp or bee, Sgt. Steve Lewis said.

“(He) told his wife he wasn’t feeling real well and she wanted to take him to the hospital, but before they could even do that, he must’ve just physically gone down hill very rapidly,” Lewis said. Hart was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident occurred at a federal campground at the lake, located at 1207 E. 700 Road, just east of the town of Clinton, in the middle of the lake grounds.

When a lake patrol deputy arrived on scene around 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Hart was conscious, but he died before Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical personnel arrived, Lewis said. It’s possible Hart suffered anaphylactic shock, a sudden and severe allergic reaction.

Division Chief Eve Tolefree, Fire Medical spokeswoman, said the man went into cardiac arrest — a potential complication of anaphylaxis shock — and that an autopsy was being performed to gather more specific information about the death.