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Gas stations in SWFL impacted by fuel contamination at the Port of Tampa; FDACS provides an update as of August 29

Gas is pumped into a vehicle at a gas station in Miami on Jan. 23, 2023. A rise in gas prices caused inflation to increase in January when compared to December. Gas prices remain volatile, making the outlook for inflation more uncertain.
Joe Raedle
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Getty Images
Gas from a supply at the Port of Tampa has been identified as being contaminated and could impact stations as far south as Naples, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A list of stations has been released that includes stations in Southwest Florida.

As of August 29, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued an update on the potentially widespread fuel contamination issue, caused by human error at the Port of Tampa.

After emergency testing and inspections, the FDACS determined the following:

Six stations did not receive the contaminated fuel shipment:
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

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: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
PJI LLC: 7977 W Dunnellon Road, Dunnellon (Regular and premium fuel was not contaminated, only diesel fuel)

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

Tropical Storm Idalia: Cars may stop working mid-evacuation due to fuel contamination

From August 27, 2023

Citgo eventually released a list of gas stations that received contaminated fuel. FDACS is aware the Port of Tampa serves gas stations in the greater Tampa region north to Chiefland, and on the west side of Florida south to Naples.

Citgo sells gas to BJs, 7-Eleven, and also some unbranded stations. FDACS will send a more accurate list as it becomes available.

The list of affected Florida gas stations includes several in Southwest Florida, including:

  • BJ's Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
  • BJ's Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers
  • 7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
  • 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
  • 7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
  • 7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
  • 7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
  • 7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
  • 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
  • 7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Rd. S.W., Cape Coral
  • 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
  • Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota
  • Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota
  • 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
  • 7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
  • 7-Eleven: 940 S Broad St., Brooksville
  • 7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
  • 7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
  • BJ's Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes
  • 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
  • 2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa
  • Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa

PLEASE NOTE: Under state and federal law, FDACS must rely upon CITGO to provide the list of impacted gas stations. Consumers should be aware that the company may update this list. FDACS will also update this list as necessary as of result of increased fuel testing in the impacted areas.

Florida Division of Emergency Management director Kevin Guthrie, speaking at a special hurricane/storm press briefing Sunday, said everything was being done to try to curtail any effects from the contamination.

"Basically it was just human error they just they they put diesel in tanks that were supposed to be regular gas," said Gov. Ron DeSantis, also speaking at the briefing. "Hopefully we don't have that many people that are affected by this obviously if you have a tank of gas and it's 90% Regular and 10% Diesel the dilution is probably may not ruin your car but I mean if you put a whole tank of diesel and that's going to be a major, major problem."

Guthrie said his division was coordinating with everyone from from petroleum retailers to the port's themselves to ensure that any fuel disruption will not be widespread or prolonged.

"We have already waived the size, weight and our restrictions for getting those necessary resources into the state and down to consumers as quickly and effectively as possible," Guthrie said, adding FDACS officials were conducting investigations on how widespread the situation is.

Citgo service station sites and others that sell Citgo gasoline. Citgo sells gas to BJs, 7-Eleven, and also some unbranded stations. The Florida Division of Agriculture and Consumer Services will provide a more accurate list as it becomes available.
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WGCU
Citgo service station sites and others that sell Citgo gasoline. Citgo sells gas to BJs, 7-Eleven, and also some unbranded stations. The Florida Division of Agriculture and Consumer Services will provide a more accurate list as it becomes available.

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. Once the stations are cleared or have completed a corrective action plan fuel will once again be safe for purchase.

Anyone who purchased gas from affected stations after 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 26, is advised by the Florida Department of Agriculture of Consumer services 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 or online at www.fdacs.gov.

Follow @FDACS on X, formerly know as Twitter, for updates on the stop sales. As always, follow @FLSERT for live updates on disaster preparation and response.

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