ORLANDO, Fla. – A widespread fuel contamination could damage cars as Tropical Storm Idalia rolls towards the state, Florida officials said on Sunday.
According to a news release, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said they “identified a potentially widespread fuel contamination caused by human error at the Port of Tampa.”
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Fuel purchased after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday at stations supplied by Citgo from the Port of Tampa has a strong likelihood of being contaminated, officials said.
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Citgo released the following list of affected gas stations, which include the highlighted stores from Central Florida:
- 7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
- 7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
- 7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville
- 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
- 7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
- 7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
- BJ’s Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
- BJ’s Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers
- BJ’s Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lake
- Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva
- Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
- Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte
- Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson
- JHW #310 - DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon
- AL Prime - Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach
- Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
- Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla
- Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa
UPDATE
Officials said after emergency inspections and testing, FDACS has determined the following six stations did not receive the contaminated fuel shipment
- Big Dan’s Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs
- 7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday
- 7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia
- Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota
- Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota
- 2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa
The following eight stations have been inspected, remediated, and cleared by FDACS for fuel sales:
- 7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
- 7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
- Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
- Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
These 17 stations remain under a stop sale order pending laboratory confirmation:
- 7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
- 7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
- 7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville
- 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
- BJ’s Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
- BJ’s Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers
- BJ’s Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes
- Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva
- Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte
- Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson
- JHW #310 - DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams St., Dunellon
- AL Prime - Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach
- Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla
- Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa
- Rogers Petroleum: 134 N Desoto Ave., Arcadia
- PJI LLC: 7977 W Dunnellon Road, Dunnellon (Regular and premium fuel was not contaminated, only diesel fuel)
According to the release, contaminated gasoline and diesel have the potential of causing engine damage or affecting operability.
Impacted stations have been asked to stop selling gas until the contaminated fuel is replaced and tanks are cleaned.
If you purchased gas from affected stations after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 26, the Florida Department of Agriculture of Consumer services advises consumers that vehicles or generators may not properly function.
FDACS has opened up the consumer hotline to receive complaints from impacted consumers. If you believe you were sold contaminated gasoline, you can file a complaint by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA online at www.fdacs.gov.
Citgo also released a statement that read:
“CITGO has a contamination issue at its Tampa terminal that is affecting fuel sold at the following retail locations in the Tampa area. Please be advised that CITGO is working with the locations to remove contaminated product from these locations. In the meantime, thank you for patience and understanding as we work to return these locations to normal operations. If, however, you have purchased fuel from one of these locations on or after Aug. 26, and are concerned your vehicle may be impacted, you can initiate a claim through the CITGO Good Gas Guarantee program https://www.citgo.com/contact-us.”
Citgo
FDACS said they are coordinating with the Division of Emergency Management (FDEM).
“FDEM is coordinating with petroleum retailers, ports and all additional stakeholders to ensure that this disruption won’t be widespread and that residents can have seamless access to fuel. At the direction of the Governor, FDEM has already waived size, weight, and hour restrictions to get resources into the state as quickly and efficiently as possible,” the FDACS statement read in part.
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