Florida officials warned of potential widespread fuel contamination after alleged human error at the Port of Tampa.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services warned residents that they could have purchased fuel affected by the contamination if they bought it on or after Saturday. Officials could pinpoint gasoline bought after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday from stations supplied by Citgo from the Port of Tampa.
Florida Fuel Contamination
They said these stations and their products will likely have diesel fuel contamination. Unfortunately, it was not only Citgo stations that could distribute the contaminated fuel across the nation.
In an initial news release, Citgo said it would not release the list of stations receiving the contaminated fuel. It added that FDACS knew that the port serves gas stations in the greater Tampa region north to Chiefland and on the west side of Florida south to Naples, as per Sun Port Charlotte.
The state also said that it will release more information regarding the situation on other affected stations once it is available. A follow-up news release listed several stations in the Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota county areas affected by the distribution of contaminated fuel.
These include 7-Eleven, BJ's Wholesale, Handy Foods Store, and other gas stations. The news release added that the contaminated gasoline and diesel have the potential to cause damage to a vehicle's engine or affect its operability.
Officials also noted that gas stations involved in distributing the contaminated fuel were being asked to stop selling gas until the bad fuel was replaced and their tanks were cleaned. After the stations are cleared or if they have completed a corrective action plan, the fuel they sell will be considered safe again.
Potential Damage to Engines
Authorities also opened up a state hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA for anyone who may need assistance if their vehicle has been affected by the contaminated fuel. They also set up an online portal at www.fdacs.gov.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) is also involved in alleviating the issue. The agency said that it was already coordinating with petroleum retailers, ports, and all additional stakeholders to ensure that this disruption does not become widespread and that residents have seamless access to safe fuel.
The news release also noted that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is waiving size, weight, and hour restrictions to get more resources into the state as quickly and efficiently as possible.
During a press briefing, DeSantis said that the issue was caused by human error after workers mistakenly placed diesel in tanks that were supposed only to carry regular gas. FDEM director Kevin Guthrie attended the briefing with the Florida governor.
The Republican lawmaker said that he was hoping that not many people would be affected by the situation. He noted that if the amount of incorrect fuel were only minuscule, it would not result in catastrophic damage. However, if it was a whole tank, it could cause a major problem, said WUSF Public Media.
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