News broke in late August that a fuel mix-up at Port of Tampa could affect hundreds of families. Individuals who fueled up at Citgo gas stations could have filled up on contaminated gasoline. This resulted in panic, with many people wondering what the next step was and what to do in terms of maintenance. Here is a guide on what to do if you are one of those affected by the Citgo contamination.

Citgo contamination incident and affected gas stations

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported on August 27 that nearly three dozen Citgo gas stations around Florida may have received contaminated gasoline mixed with diesel fuel. According to the agency, fuel bought after 10 a.m. on August 26 in Citgo gas stations may be tainted due to human error at Port Tampa Bay, with the FDACS believing that gas stations as far north as Brooksville and south as Fort Myers had received the contaminated fuel.

The FDACS’ alert initially said that the company would not release the list of gas stations affected but assured consumers that it would provide an accurate list as soon as it became available.

Here is a list of the affected gas stations as a part of the Citgo contamination:

• Big Dan’s Car Wash: 39522 U.S. Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs
• 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
• 7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday
• 7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia
• 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
• 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
• Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota
• Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Rd., Sarasota
• Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
• 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
• Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres
• Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Ave., Umatilla
• 2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th St., Tampa
• Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Ave., Tampa

Impacted stations were issued a stop-sale order until the contaminated gas was replaced and the tanks were cleaned.

The contaminated fuel can have adverse effects

Contaminated fuel can cause issues in vehicles and is overall a dangerous issue. For starters, the mixture of gas and diesel can result in poor engine performance or potentially damage engine components. It may also not ignite properly in the engine, causing difficulty starting or shutting down unexpectedly while driving, which can be dangerous, especially on the highway or in traffic.

Contaminated fuel can also increase emissions, which may harm the environment. Finally, repairing the damage can be expensive. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may need to clean the fuel system, replace various engine components, or flush the entire system to get rid of the contaminated fuel.

What to do if the Citgo contamination situation affects you

Citgo has asked affected drivers to file their complaints via the company’s contact page. The state also has a hotline dedicated to receiving complaints from affected individuals. You can either file your complaint at fdacs.gov or call 1-800-435-7352.