The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FLDACS) has warned consumers across the state that dozens of Citgo-supplied gas stations are suspected of selling contaminated fuel recently. Citgo supplies gas to various gas station brands, including 7-Eleven, BJs, and many smaller gas stations and convenience stores throughout Florida.
The fuel contamination is believed to be diesel fuel mistakenly mixed with other fuel grades. Cars that use contaminated fuel could suffer serious engine damage, so investigators are testing the suspected gas stations to determine the extent of the contamination. The first shipments of contaminated fuel likely became available for consumer purchase after 10:00 AM EST on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
At this time, FLDACS has yet to inspect these gas stations for contaminated fuel:
- 7-Eleven: 12750 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
- 7-Eleven: 1626 Meadow Road, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 2401 James Redman Parkway, Plant City
- 7-Eleven: 290 Lakeland Park Road, Lakeland
- 7-Eleven: 4325 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
- 7-Eleven: 940 S Broad Street, Brooksville
- AL Prime – Daytona Beach: 1898 S. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Daytona Beach
- BJ’s Wholesale: 13585 NE 86th Path, Lady Lakes
- BJ’s Wholesale: 1929 Pine Island Road N.E., Cape Coral
- BJ’s Wholesale: 9372 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers
- Bolton One LLC: 15434 US Highway 19, Hudson
- Choice Food & Gas: 310 N Central Avenue, Umatilla
- Handy Foods Store #86: 21321 Palm Beach Boulevard., Alva
- JHW #310 – DBA Avenue CITGO: 11867 N. Williams Street, Dunnellon
- Perfection Station 5: 9931 N Florida Avenue, Tampa
- Rogers Petroleum: 134 N Desoto Avenue, Arcadia
- Superday CITGO: 1595 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte
FLDACS has stated that these gas stations were not affected by fuel contamination:
- 2K Express 5: 6202 N 40th Street, Tampa
- 7-Eleven: 13411 Fish Hawk Boulevard, Lithia
- 7-Eleven: 2604 Skyline Boulevard, Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 3437 US Highway 19, Holiday
- 7-Eleven: 601 Pine Island Road S.W., Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 6050 Dean Dairy Road, Zephyrhills
- 7-Eleven: 714 Burnt Store Road, Cape Coral
- 7-Eleven: 720 Chiquita Boulevard, North Cape Coral
- Dan’s Car Wash: 39522 US Highway 19 N., Tarpon Springs
- Faulkenburg CITGO: 5320 Faulkenburg Road, Tampa
- Handy Foods Store #87: 3205 Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
- Palmers Easy Stop: 903 Cattleman Road, Sarasota
- Quick & Easy Stop: 4529 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota
What to Do If You Bought Contaminated Fuel
Contaminated fuel can damage the engine in several ways. If you bought fuel recently at one of the gas stations listed above that has not been inspected and cleared by the FLDACS, then you should call a mechanic for advice. A mechanic may advise that you use a tow service to bring the vehicle to their shop, so the fuel can be drained and replaced without driving it further. Keep in mind that contaminated fuel may damage an engine over time, not right away, so the first signs that something is wrong could appear weeks or months from now.
Can Citgo Be Sued for Fuel Contamination Damage?
Potentially, thousands of consumers across Florida have purchased contaminated fuel from Citgo. If they have, just as many vehicles on the road may start to experience engine damage and defects in the coming days, weeks, and months. Citgo may need to brace for a wave of lawsuits or a class action lawsuit that bands all the affected drivers together as one plaintiff class. Although it is believed that simple human error caused the contamination, strict product liability laws could still allow drivers to hold Citgo liable for any vehicular damage that occurs due to the mix-up.
What Happens Next?
The FLDACS will need to complete its investigation and testing of the remaining gas stations suspected of selling contaminated fuel. At that point, it will become clearer how many drivers may have bought the fuel and how many vehicles have been damaged because of it, especially as the damage-over-time effect of contaminated fuel becomes more apparent to more drivers. In the meantime, if you think that you bought contaminated fuel from a gas station supplied by Citgo or that your vehicle has already been damaged by such contaminated fuel, you should talk with an attorney.
Schlesinger Law Offices is currently investigating this unfolding situation. Call us at (954) 467-8800 if you bought contaminated fuel from Citgo, even if your car has not yet shown signs of damage.
People across Florida trust Schlesinger Law Offices because:
- We have more than 70 years of experience and legacy.
- We have numerous multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts, including a $60-million verdict against General Motors (GM).
- We have significant resources to investigate any claim and stand up to any defendant.
- We are trial attorneys who can litigate on behalf of our clients – we never back down.
Initial consultations for potential Citgo fuel contamination lawsuit clients are absolutely free! Call (954) 467-8800 right now.
