When news hit that the Colonial Pipeline, a pipeline that carries 3 million barrels of fuel every day between Texas and New Jersey, had been the subject of a cyberattack, people began panic buying gas.
This resulted in long lines at the pump, empty stations, and some poor decisions – though one viral video was later proved to have been filmed in 2019 – that led to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a warning.
Thankfully, no one has been killed, but at least two people were injured when their vehicles caught fire after they purchased multiple cans of gas and placed them inside their vehicles.
One incident occurred in Homosassa, Florida Wednesday morning. Citrus County Fire Rescue crews responded to a vehicle fire near a Texaco gas station.
The driver of the vehicle had just visited the gas station to fill up multiple 5-gallon containers. The Hummer had barely left the gas station when it caught fire.
Thankfully, crews were able to extinguish the flames within minutes.
One person was injured, according to reports, and they refused treatment.
Officials found four 5-gallon containers inside the back of the Hummer.
Another incident that resulted in injury occurred Thursday night in Pickens, South Carolina.
According to FOX Carolina, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office spotted a vehicle with stolen tags and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver fled and as a result flipped the car.
The vehicle burst into flames.
The driver was able to escape the vehicle, though she was also on fire. Police pushed her on the ground to extinguish the flames. She was transported to the hospital for treatment.
Prior to being transported to the hospital she informed police she had several gallons of fuel in the trunk of the car she was driving.
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Both accidents are under investigation.
On May 12, the Colonial Pipeline restarted, and officials said that within several days it would be back to normal operations.
In this instance, we were our own worst enemies because as soon as many of us heard a massive pipeline was shut down, we began “over-consuming at the pump.”
“Let me emphasize that much as there was no cause for say, hoarding toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic, there should be no cause for hoarding gasoline,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said during a White House press briefing, “especially in light of the fact that the pipeline should be substantially operational by the end of this week and over the weekend.”
It is also important to remember to follow all precautions when it comes to filling gas containers and transporting them in vehicles.
Please be smart when it comes to something like gas.
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