Drivers fleeing Storm Idalia warned contaminated fuel could stop cars working

29 August 2023 , 03:05

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The warning comes as thousands have spent the day packing and fuelling their cars to head out of town (Image: AP)

Drivers fleeing Storm Idalia are being warned cars could stop working due to fuel contamination caused by "human error'.

The "potentially widespread" contamination has been reported at gas stations along Florida's Gulf Coast could cause car engines and power generators to stop working just as Idalia hits. It comes as thousands have been warned by authorities to ensure their vehicles are at least half full should a hurricane evacuation order be issued.

The contamination was caused by "human error" at the Port of Tampa, according to a news alert from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Affected gasoline and diesel was supplied by Citgo and may have been sold at nearly 30 stations after 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, mostly along the Florida coast from the Tampa Bay region to Fort Myers.

Using the fuel could cause engine damage or stop a vehicle or generator from operating entirely, FDACS warned. Speaking at a press briefing Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the potentially hazardous situation was caused by a simple mix-up. He said: "Basically it was just human error — they just put diesel in tanks that were supposed to be regular gas.

Storm Idalia could hit parts of Florida by late Tuesday or early Wednesday (NOAA)

"If you have a tank of gas and it's 90% regular and 10% diesel, the dilution probably may not ruin your car. But, I mean, if you put a whole tank of diesel, that's going to be a major, major problem."

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The impacted stations all have been asked to stop selling gas until the fuel can be replaced and the tanks that were used can be cleaned. BJ's Wholesale, 7-Eleven and Handy Foods were some of the impacted stores. Florida's Division of Emergency Management has also waived size, weight and hour restrictions for transporting gas and diesel in the state to ensure consumers could have access to fuel as quickly as possible.

The National Hurricane Centre warned that as of 4am CDT today, Idalia's centre was approximately 125 miles south of the western tip of Cuba. The storm's maximum sustained winds have reached 65mph, and it's moving northward at a speed of 7mph.

Thousands of people spent the weekend and much of today preparing for the onslaught of the storm, with many using wheelbarrows to transport sandbags and others seen carrying their belongings from homes as they self-evacuate.

Thousands of people across Florida have spent days preparing for the storm's impact (AP)

Storm surges as high as 11ft are being predicted as more than 1,000 National Guardsmen have been mobilised, with high water vehicles and aircrafts on hand to help with evacuations. People are being urged to stock up on supplies and have at least half a tank of gas in their vehicles.

Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Saturday declaring a state of emergency for 33 counties ahead of the potential inclement weather. An announcement read: "The Governor and the Florida Division of Emergency Management are taking timely precautions to ensure Florida’s communities, infrastructure and resources are prepared, including those communities that are still recovering following Hurricane Ian."

Large parts of the western coast of Florida are at risk for storm surges and floods. Pasco and Levy counties, located north of Tampa, both ordered mandatory evacuations for some residents. In Levy County, officials said residents of Cedar Key must be off the island by Tuesday evening because storm surges would make bridges impassable.

"Once the storm surge comes in, help may not be available to reach you," the county said in a public advisory. The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a hurricane warning Monday from Longboat Key in the Sarasota area to the Holocene River, up past Tampa Bay.

Abigail O'Leary