Over 1,600 complaints of potentially contaminated fuel ahead of Idalia

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — With a big portion of the Tampa Bay area under evacuation orders right now, you’ll need your car to work. That’s why word of tainted gas at more than a dozen Tampa Bay area gas stations is especially concerning since it can stop your car in its tracks.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said fuel supplied by CITGO was contaminated, and it can potentially damage your engine. And as Floridians brace for a hurricane, there’s concern some drivers could be stranded.

Chris Shavers said his car is sounding funny and he’s concerned.

“It was Saturday afternoon actually, about 2 o’clock,” Shavers said. “It’s been ju ju ju ju ju ju.”

“It will hiccup, run a little rough maybe, spit and sputter,” said Dusty Cox, the manager at Olin Mott Tire Center & Auto Repairs.

State officials say the contamination occurred at the CITGO terminal at the Port of Tampa. The cause? Human error.

“It has nothing to do with the storm, but it’s happening right on the eve of the storm,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday.

Port Tampa Bay provides nearly half the fuel for the entire state of Florida. They are a major energy gateway. While CITGO is located here, Port officials told NewsNation affiliate WFLA they have no oversight over CITGO, and that CITGO owns the land and hires the people. We were told to direct questions about what went wrong to them.

A CITGO spokesman tells WFLA they’re “conducting a complete review” of the “product routing issue at the terminal.”

Now state officials are inspecting nearly 30 gas stations, including 13 in Tampa Bay. If you filled up at one of the stations after 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, beware.

Wilton Simpson, Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner, is investigating the matter. He said as of Monday evening, his agency has received more than 1,600 complaints from consumers.

“My office will obtain all of the records and determine what went wrong. Clearly, we don’t want this to happen again,” said Simpson. “CITGO has been very forthright on this issue.”

A CITGO spokesman told WFLA that if your vehicle was damaged as a result of this gas, they’ll pick up the bill.

“If a consumer believes they purchased contaminated fuel (gasoline or diesel) on or after Saturday, Aug. 26, they can initiate a claim through the CITGO Good Gas Guarantee program.

If and when you hit car trouble, Cox says find a safe spot and pull over.