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Inspector Shuts Down Gas Pumps After Watery Gas Strands Motorists
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Published: June 30, 2008
LAKE PLACID – An undetermined number of motorists were affected, some stranded Thursday, after they reported pumping watery gasoline into their vehicles at a Shell gas station at the corner of U.S. 27 and State Road 70, south of Lake Placid.
Terence McElroy, press secretary for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, confirmed the pumps at the gas station had been shut down by an inspector who found water in the tanks.
The pump nozzles have been covered and a yellow caution tape has been wrapped around the pumps, McElroy said.
"We've received three or four complaints (about that location)," McElroy said. "Our inspector found water in the gas storage tanks as well as water dispensed from the hoses."
The pumps have been shut down and the station is in the process of cleaning it up, he added.
"They are prohibited from selling gas until they pass a new inspection," he said.
The station will be required to clean out its pumps, its tanks and put in fresh gas, McElroy said.
How did it happen? The agency doesn't get into the cause.
"That's their problem and something we don't get involved in," McElroy said.
Who is liable?
"Liability is something between the gas company, the oil company the motorist and the station," he said.
The repair could get expensive.
Jeff Daff, a mechanic at Duck's Body Shop, said an average repair for water in the gas tank would be about $400 to $500 because it is very labor intensive. Of course, every vehicle is different, he said. And there is the added possibility of a fuel disposal fee.
Barbara Cassidy of Venus was one of the few who pumped the watery gas into her near-empty gas tank.
She said she was low on gas and in a hurry Thursday evening. She stopped at the gas station about 5:30 p.m. and pumped about two gallons before getting frustrated because the pumps were working very slowly.
"I usually don't stop there for gas," she said, adding that her usual gas station had run out of regular. "I got about a mile down the road. Thank goodness for cell phones."
She called a tow company that picked up her car and drove back to the Shell gas station.
"There were about 16 to 21 vehicles towed or dragged back to the Shell," Cassidy said, giving her best guess.
She confronted the clerks inside the store.
"Their only response was, 'I guess we'll see you in court,'" she said. "There was a mob down there, yes, an angry mob. I'm one of those angry people."
She said she spoke with a manager, Paula Quinn, who referred her to the owner. The owner did not return Cassidy's phone call, Cassidy said.
Quinn did not return a call Monday from Highlands Today.
Cassidy said she got her car repaired but had not yet been given a bill. She had to drive to Fort Myers to get a fuel filter for her Volkswagen Jetta because it wasn't available here and she didn't want to wait for them to ship it.
It was unclear if the gas station pumped gas Friday before the inspector shut the pumps down.
Vicki Divietro, a secretary at Rodney's Towing, in DeSoto City, said their operators started towing vehicles Thursday evening from the S.R. 70 Shell station.
"Most never even made it away from the pump," she said. "We towed about six vehicles out of there and we repaired three of them. Some of them went back to the dealers."
"A Ford Expedition had just filled up $130 worth of gas," she added.
Sheriff's Capt. Paul Blackman acknowledged that the sheriff's office received a call at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, from a person complaining they pumped gas at the gas station, and the car broke down shortly afterward.
A deputy was dispatched to take the call, but no report was made, Blackman said, because that is a civil dispute.
"We would have advised them to seek an attorney and sue them civilly," Blackman said. "We would not get involved in that."
To lodge a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, call the Petroleum Inspection Bureau at 1-850-488-9740.
Joe Seelig can be reached at jseelig@highlandstoday.com
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( T11 ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:09 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Good grief, I hadn't heard of this in years!
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Posted by ( 5150tampa ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
wtf i say we hang this guy
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Posted by ( monkey ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Muhammad Kibria would not return calls. Does this sound like an honest business man to anyone? If I were not trying to "thin" the profits, I would be defending myself. I know we've gotten a lot of rain, but those tanks are designed to withstand outside forces. Sounds fishy to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by ( wellswood ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The tanks can only withstand so many years of these "outside forces". If the tanks been in the ground for a good time and it just started raining, I can see it happening. You see them tanks getting replaced all the time.
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Posted by ( BrianH ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:47 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Skip the owner and file a class action suit against Shell.
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Posted by ( oldcqr ) on June 30, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Bet me this doesn't happen:
1 - Owner/Oil company doesn't own up to the problem and fix everyone's cars
2 - Car owners sue station owner
3 - Station owner either disappears, or claims bankruptcy sticking all the car owners with the bill.
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Posted by ( markyn11 ) on June 30, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The awkmed owner watered down the gas to pretty up his profit margin. He should be shut down along with any other stations he owns and his license to do business in Florida should be revoked.
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Posted by ( spenser2 ) on June 30, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I had a problem with a car wash breaking down and damaging my car, a few years ago. The owner also would NOT return calls and when he finally did he simply said "it is not my fault if you are a crappy driver".
I doubt the people get much help without a lawsuit, sadly.
Gas is bad enough without now having to worry if where you buy it is safe.
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Posted by ( Bristol ) on June 30, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
It would seem that Muhammad would do the Muslim thing and pay for all the repairs. It would seem Muhammad would at least do the Muslim thing and return the phone call of the innocent custormer. This is just typical Muslim business.
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Posted by ( leopard1 ) on June 30, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Whoa, that happened to me at the Hess station in Belleair last year. I bought gas the day after a really hard rain. Drove out of the station and was going through the shopping center parking lot to the north and my truck died. Glad I got a receipt. $975.00 later, a couple phone calls to the Hess station, their district office and copies of my detailed repair bill dropped off at the station got me reimbursed in full. Then I saw the pumps closed off and a "water separator" truck on site for three days. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who had to get towed.
I had a problem with Shell a long time ago and won't buy their gas.
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Posted by ( slappy ) on July 1, 2008 at 12:36 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is what I say,The hell with Shell.
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Posted by ( Budbkind2u ) on July 1, 2008 at 12:54 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I feel sorry for the poor clerk, It's not like she was the one putting water in the tanks, if anyone did. She was just trying to do her job. Yet she was the one there, so she got all the BS from the "angry mob", and I'm sure they wern't thinking right at the time, who would be?
try to put your self in the clerks place, what would you have told the "angry mob"?
As for the owner now thats different, either he was trying to make some extra money, or he didn't keep the tanks up right, either way it is his fault.
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Posted by ( modernsatyr ) on July 1, 2008 at 3:21 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I have worked for a convenience store/gas station for 6 years. First nobody waters down gas to save money because it separates and floats on the top. Gas is pumped from near the bottom. So only when a tank is near empty would you be able to pump water into your tank. We are required (as I am sure are all gas stations) to monitor water levels. Before we had electronic monitoring we had to physically check tanks every evening. Now we use electronic monitoring and physically stick the tank once a week to verify electronic monitoring is valid. This includes checking for water. Any tank that had water in it in a significant amount (long before an inch) was to be called in and so the water could be taken out. Now with Ethanol blending, any water detection is to be reported immediately. Since water in a tank can cause the Ethanol to phase separate from the gas.
I can think of three main reasons water would be found in a tank: cracking in the casing of the gas tank, the cover not being sealed properly, or a delivery of bad gas (this third being the least likely). This excludes normal condensation from humidity when the tank is opened, which should be a negligible amount. It is inexcusable for the manager and employees to take the stance they did no matter which was the cause of the water in the tank. It is their job to make sure that this kind of thing doesn’t happen. When they received the first complaint, they should have physically verified that the tank had water and shut down the pumps.
It’s a sure bet that the Shell Logo will be removed from that station. I know that Shell requires stations that carry the Shell Brand to follow a set of rules to ensure quality.
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Posted by ( lord_dragon ) on July 1, 2008 at 6:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
wasnt it shell that had a big problem a few years back with bad gas that caused fuel tank problems to which they had to pay for the repairs? and as far as modernsatyr comment about water floating to the top of gas you are wrong water is heaver then gas and sinks to the bottom and since the newer cars fuel pumps suck from the bottom they suck water first
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Posted by ( greenbeagle ) on July 1, 2008 at 7:57 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
modernsatyr.... Wow, a good, solid post. Thank you!
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Posted by ( Tootall ) on July 1, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
oldcqr-claiming bankruptcy does not shield one from court order.
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Posted by ( Coast2Coast ) on July 1, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Reference; Google
Specific Gravity of (water; 1.002 @ 60 deg F) (gasoline; .739 @ 60 deg F) So I think this means that water is heavier then gasoline so it should settle to the bottom of the tank.
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Posted by ( disgustedwithsociety ) on July 1, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
what you don't realize is that this particular station is a dirty scum station to begin with. it is independently owned. And right beside it is a Circle K. Now if it is up to me and I have to support a muslim owned independent or the circle k??? Well I don't remember any of the executives of circle k running planes into buildings do you
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Posted by ( Tiko ) on July 1, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
and they probably take fuel from the bottom of the tank (so when it is low it still functions)...so what's your point (Space Ghost) Coast 2 Coast?
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Posted by ( Roberto ) on July 1, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Nice....not only does it cost $4 per gallon, but it's crappy gas to boot.
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Posted by ( Tiko ) on July 1, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
disgusted with soceity probably shops at wal mart too
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Posted by ( kpg8 ) on July 1, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
The owner was not available for comment because he was at an AlQuedah meeting in a remote part of the Glades....
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Posted by ( Concerned1963 ) on July 1, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Go after Shell oil? With no proof of their culpability and/or negligence? Pure genius. Almost as intelligent as those who make this owner out to be a Muslim and/or terrorist just by his name. The level of ignorance of these posters amazes and saddens me. Find the problem FIRST, then either have it fixed, or go after who is at fault. And with retards like these guys accusing or suggesting the guy did this because he might be Muslim, do you really expect him to pick up the phone?
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Posted by ( LutzLady ) on July 1, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Pssst disgustedwithsociety, who do you think owns Circle K now? Most convience stores are no longer company owned stores anymore.
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Posted by ( oncebitten ) on July 1, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Good luck. Take your vehicle to the dealership- have them write "bad gas" on the ticket. I'm still fighting the one from a few years back. My son (a certified mech) replaced my fuel pump which had been contaminated with bad gas. He got the parts at cost and did not charge me (saving almost $900.00) Do you think Shell appreciated the savings- #ell no!! - They claim I have no proof it was the gas. I have receipts- this was the only place I got gas for over 6 mos. I just happened to have my pump replaced before the recall/replacement order was given.
And be sure to include everyone in your suit..... shop owner, Shell, delivery company.
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Posted by ( kpg8 ) on July 1, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
concerned,
chill out!! First of all how many non muslims do you know named muhammed. NONE. Of course we know that not all muslims are terrorists but that is not going to stop us from making jokes about it. The guy deserves to be made fun of if he is selling bad gas... it might not be intentional of how the gas got water but selling the gas like that is negligence. They should be sticking the tanks at least once a day even if they have the electronic reader.. Hell if he did that in one of the countries were the muslim religion is he would at least loose a hand...if not his head...
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Posted by ( rocknroll ) on July 1, 2008 at 12:49 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( flpeep ) on July 1, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Lake Placid is a very tiny town. One of those places where everyone knows everyone. I'm sure the owner wouldn't do this intentionally! Can't get a way with much in that town.
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Posted by ( George_Lohse ) on July 1, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
When I eat Taco Bell I get watery gas
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Posted by ( curiosity ) on July 1, 2008 at 2:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Actually, the station is not a SHELL branded station. It was sold a while back and the guy never removed the Shell logos...tells you what kind of business man he is. The State inspectors were out Friday and shortly thereafter the Shell markings were either taken down or removed. I'm guessing Shell Oil Co ain't too happy, but they should have followed up. I helped a nice older couple from Sarasota who got a few miles from the Station before their car died. I felt really bad for them and didn't realize until the next day how many people were affected.
Someone needs to just close that place down. It is a dump. The Health Dept has closed the 'food' vending down several times because of poor conditions. Seems all they care about is making a dollar!
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Posted by ( Brat ) on July 1, 2008 at 2:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
George_Lohse
LMAO
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Posted by ( Concerned1963 ) on July 1, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
kpg8... So you can say with authority that not one non-Muslim in the world is named Muhammed, eh? All I was saying was stop jumping to conclusions, find out the FACTS, and deal with it from there.
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Posted by ( InAtlanta ) on July 1, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Holy Crap! George.....You too?
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Posted by ( CelticGirl ) on July 1, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Unless we're far from home, we always get our gas at the same station up the street from our house. Never had any problems with bad gas, but if we ever do, we know who to go after.
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Posted by ( BennyLava ) on July 1, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sounds like you just got Derka Derkaed. Time to put a jihad out on that unleaded.
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Posted by ( Budbkind2u ) on July 1, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
disgustedwithsociety,
Just so you know about a year ago(maybe 18 months) Circle K bought shell, so now they are one in the same.
Concerned1963,
I can understand the point your trying to make, but it is more likely he is a muslim, then it is that he is not. You said "All I was saying was stop jumping to conclusions, find out the FACTS" do you know/have any FACTS that say he is NOT a muslim??
Tootall
"oldcqr-claiming bankruptcy does not shield one from court order"
your right, but ever heard of the saying you can't get blood from a rock? All he has to do is file for bankruptcy, then just put anything he might own now or down the road, into his wifes name. Then he will get away with it, and still go out and get that new BMW or house, or bomb(incase he is a muslim and a terrorist), or what ever he wants to get.
Of course there is the slim chance he will make it right for everyone, I wouldn't hold my breath, but it could happen.
as always sorry for the bad spelling and have a good one.
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Posted by ( Jayson_Barclay ) on July 1, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I also had a bad gas experience at this station. I stopped there on Sunday to pick up some petrol for the weed wacker. I got home, mixed in some oil, and it took three pulls to start up the old weed wacker, and it usually starts in one pull. I am going to to demand $4.50 and a king size snicker bar tomorrow. Wish me luck.
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Posted by ( Curbed_Enthusiasm ) on July 1, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
For what is is worth, I went to school with a great guy named Mohammed.
We all called him Mo. He dated my good friend's sister and we and a couple of other kids hung out together all of the time, doing all the normal kid stuff.
Oh yeah.....it was a Catholic School and he was Catholic.
The nuns gave him a hard time just like everyone else.
He is not someone (a mutual friend keeps in touch with him to this day - he is a lawyer now) who I would ever fear. To me, he is simply MO.
GO MO GO!!!!!
Oh yeah...he had a Catholic Wedding too.
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Posted by ( Brynda68 ) on July 2, 2008 at 5:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
ALERT!
I went to this same Shell station 2 weeks before this article and when my Shell card didn't work I went inside. I was told they were NO LONGER associated with Shell, even though the sign was up... to me, this is fraud! And now I feel so guilty I did not turn them in for it, because of all these poor people.
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Posted by ( bigheart54 ) on July 2, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is a lawyer's dream case. They absolutely WILL get to the bottom/top of it. Eventually we will receive answers, hoping to place blame. If criminal intent is exposed, the guilty party should be charged with felony grand theft etc.
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Posted by ( dakota ) on July 2, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
We live about 10 minutes from there, but have never used their gas, or been inside their building. Much better place right across the road.
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Posted by ( Concerned1963 ) on July 2, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Budbkind2u, It doesn't matter if he is Muslim or not. That's not what makes him either an honest businessman or a crook. And, no, I don't know if he is Muslim or not. I could care less. But if he's dishonest, he needs to pay.
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Posted by ( therockofages ) on July 2, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Not only are they ripping us off at the pump, now they are selling us water for $4.00 a gallon. The authorities should be doing MUCH more to insure the station reimburses those affected for their losses. Getting water completely out of a vehicle's gasoline tank is a VERY expensive and time consuming endeavor. For state authorities to just 'shrug their shoulders' about reimbursement when the oil companies are making RECORD profits, is pretty pathetic.
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Posted by ( flowergirl ) on July 2, 2008 at 6:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Man, to pay between $50 to well over $100 for a fillup, and then it's contaminated?? That has got to kill you. Hard earned money, and your vehicle conks out not too far down the road. Someone's got a lot of vehicle repairs to pay for. Makes me wary of going to the independently owned stations. How can you tell which ones are?? If this ever happened to me, I wouldn't want to be dealing with an individual who was going to make it tougher for me to get my engine replaced/repaired. The responsible party needs to take responsibility and step up to the plate to make things right for these customers. This station may as well close down. Now that word has gotten out that THIS was the station with water in their gas, no one should risk trusting them again.
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Posted by ( fueltesters ) on July 24, 2008 at 5:05 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
During recent months Fuel-Testers * has received by far the highest number of reports of problems/issues and engine damage with ethanol-blends of gasoline in the U.S. from the state of Florida.
Recent stricter laws in FL requiring mixing of 10% ethanol in ALL gas at public pumps might explain this sudden onset of these reports, but what concerns me the most is the primary problems consumers have encountered (especially marine engine owners) has been primarily due to gas containing high and illegal amounts (over 10%) of ethanol/alcohol in E10 gas sold. We've received many reports from FL consumers and businesses of E10 gas alcohol content of 20-30 percent, and as high as 48 %!
FL consumers speculate this is intentional and to increase gas station profits (ethanol is cheap, petroleum is not).
Ordinarily I believe improper mixing is unintentional, but I too am beginning to wonder about what's going on right now in FL?????
Other gas issues more prevalent in FL include dispensing "contaminated" and "dirty" gas. - This occurs when gas storage tanks and pumps are not properly prepped (clean, dry, rust and dirt-free, with all water removed from bottom of tank) prior to the switchover to E10. Alcohol is a strong solvent, cleanser, degreaser and hygroscopic.
The 3rd most common (and illegal) problem in FL has been gas pumps testing positive for alcohol, when an E10 sticker label is NOT present on the gas pump. (FL requires E10 sticker labeling when any amount of ethanol is added).
While E10 can be successfully managed in most engines (less than 10 years old) designed for alcohol fuel, (check your owner's manual for fuel recommendations), when proper precautions are followed; No conventional gas-powered engine, new or old, will survive too high alcohol, "dirty" gas and/or phase-separated (p/s) and water-contaminated (w/c) gasoline.
The long list of symptoms and engine damage caused by "bad" and P/S gasoline is too long to include here - but examples of some common S/S that you've filled-up w/ bad gas include: engine stalling, hesitation, inability to accelerate WOT, dirty fuel filters, clogged carburetor, damaged and frequent replacement of fuel pump...cracked, drying-out and swelling of rubber/plastic parts (hoses and seals)...etc.
If you need info on necessary E10 precautions and/or ethanol fuel testing, do not hesitate to contact me. And make sure you report all contaminated gas and stations dispensing E10 over 10% limit to Florida Bureau of Petroleum Inspection in Tallahassee (850) 488-9740 http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/standard/petro/index.html Good Luck Florida!
*Note: Fuel-Testers (a division of MLR Solutions consulting agency) provides portable Alcohol Fuel Test Kits and ethanol renewable/reformulated fuel education to the public and businesses.
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Posted by ( fueltesters ) on July 24, 2008 at 6:40 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Add: I'm very disappointed to now read (after posting) the many inappropriate (racial and prejudice) in this thread. I started my post here on Tampa Bay Online yesterday, got busy and added it today without first reading/seeing inappropriate remarks above. I read the article and not the posts, which I should have done before contributing....Anyway, if there are any intelligent consumers still left here from both FL and anywhere in the U.S. who would benefit from the truth/facts/precautions, etc. on ethanol, let me know- and I'll return in future.
I also wish to clarify (what I may have wrongly assumed you already knew) -
E10 (unlike conventional non-alcohol gasoline) is hygroscopic and miscible = readily attracts and absorbs huge quantities of water. The higher the ethanol content (in a petroleum/ethanol blend) the faster and quicker water will be absorbed.
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Posted by ( valligator77 ) on August 17, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Modernsatyr posted a comment that has incorrct data in it. Gasoline is lighter that water so it floats on top of the gas and is not soluble with water. Water in a gas tank will always be at the bottom. Ethanol is soluble with water but it cause plenty of problems too. I've had two fuel pumps destoyed by 10% ethanol blended gas in two days. Write your congressperson and tell them to get that crap out of our gasoline. Even MTBE would be better than ethanol. Ethanol is a political boondogggle to line the pockets of big agrabusiness and corn belt politicians
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