CHAD UMBLE | Staff WriterStewart McKinsey finally solved the riddle this week about why Wakefield EMS’ squad car suddenly started smoking, sputtering and running rough just before the Fourth of July.
After reading some posts on a Quarryville area Facebook group, he learned that some pumps at the Turkey Hill at the Buck had been dispensing diesel fuel July 2 from what were labeled as regular gas pumps. That prompted him to take the squad vehicle to a mechanic where a fuel test showed that its tank was filled with diesel fuel, which could damage the engine of the vehicle that uses regular gas. As he awaits a repair bill for the squad car, he’s getting both ambulances checked as well.
“It’s disruptive as far as not knowing what’s going on right now and if we’re going to have to shell out to get it fixed,” said McKinsey, who said the squad car and ambulance had gotten gas on July 2 or 3 from the station. “Since we are a lifesaving operation, we want to make sure our vehicles are good to go.”
A similar mystery has likely been playing out for scores of motorists who got the wrong fuel July 2 at the Turkey Hill at 1010 Lancaster Pike in Drumore Township where a mix-up left some diesel pumps dispensing regular gas and some regular pumps dispensing diesel fuel.
Four of the 12 pumps at the station have pumps for both diesel and regular fuel. Motorists interviewed by LNP | LancasterOnline reported both getting diesel fuel from pumps labeled for regular gas and regular gas from a pump meant for diesel. A fuel mix-up either way can be catastrophic for an engine if the problem isn’t discovered early.
“It would destroy it. You’d have to replace it,” said Krystal Bucher, service manager for Platinum Mitsubishi in East Petersburg, which did a complete fuel cleanout and repair on a regular gas vehicle that got diesel at the Turkey Hill.
Diesel fuel is thicker and denser than regular gas and can clog an engine designed to handle regular gas, causing it to seize up. Regular gas ignites more easily than diesel fuel, so putting regular gasoline into an engine designed for diesel can lead to uncontrolled and mistimed detonations that can quickly cause engine damage.
At the Turkey Hill at the Buck last week, diesel fuel was selling for $4.49 a gallon and regular unleaded gasoline cost $3.68 a gallon.
After being asked about the issue by LNP | LancasterOnline, Nate Hillyer, a spokesperson for Turkey Hill owner EG America issued a statement acknowledging the problem.
“EG America is aware of the incident at our Turkey Hill store in Quarryville, PA, in which diesel fuel was accidentally mixed with gasoline. We are reimbursing those whose vehicles were affected, and working with our team to ensure this does not happen again in the future,” the statement said.
However, the spokesperson said EG America would not answer follow-up questions about exactly when the fuel was being dispensed, how the mistake happened, and what exactly affected motorists should do to get reimbursed.
Fueling anxiety
Some motorists who discussed the issue with LNP or posted about it on the “Quarryville PA message board” group on Facebook said they got contaminated fuel between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on July 2. To get reimbursed, they first contacted the store and then were directed to contact Turkey Hill’s corporate headquarters.
McKinsey said Thursday that a fuel test on a Wakefield ambulance that takes diesel fuel showed trace amounts of regular gas. The Fulton Township-based company’s only other ambulance, which runs on regular gas, will be taken to the shop once the other one is back.
“It’s pretty impactful because we have to pull crew and go drop ambulances off and switch all the equipment around,” said McKinsey, who plans to pay the repair bill and then submit a claim through Wakefield’s insurance company.
Peach Bottom resident Elina Johnson filled up her 2019 Ford Flex at the Turkey Hill with what turned out to be a full tank of diesel. She wound up with a more than $1,100 repair bill to flush out the fuel and replace some parts.
“I’m not trying to shell out $1,200. We don’t even have the $1,200 to shell out. We’re just scraping by as it is. We don’t have the money for this,” said Johnson, whose husband, David, works in construction.
Johnson said she filled up soon after 6 a.m. at the Turkey Hill. At that time, many of the pumps were bagged with labels that said “out of service” and there was a line for the two pumps that were still available. Both the available pumps gave the option for either diesel or regular gas, she said.
“There were people lined up to get gas,” said Johnson, who posted about her experience on the Quarryville area Facebook group and described it to LNP | LancasterOnline in an interview.
After having her vehicle towed to Platinum Mitsubishi in East Petersburg where a fuel test revealed the presence of diesel fuel, Johnson’s husband called the Turkey Hill store. Eventually, a manager told them that their repair bill would be covered and described the process for doing that which begins by calling Turkey Hill’s corporate office at 1-800-225-9702.
In the meantime, Johnson began driving the family’s old Honda Accord on her hour-long commute, which includes dropping off her three young children at a babysitter in East Petersburg and then going to her job in Lancaster Township, where she works as a medical receptionist. The long drive became more uncomfortable during the recent heat wave because the Honda’s air conditioner doesn’t work. She’s now driving her dad’s pickup truck after the Honda wouldn’t start at work.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” she said.
On Thursday afternoon, Bucher said Platinum Mitsubishi had just received an email from Turkey Hill’s insurance company asking where to send payment for Johnson’s car, which allowed Johnson to pick the vehicle up Thursday.
“I’m so relieved I could cry,” she said, after learning she would be getting her car back.
Bucher said the vehicle seems to be running OK now, but warned there still could be diesel fuel lurking in the engine that could eventually turn into another problem.
“There’s really no way for us to know that unless we start ripping and tearing the engine apart, which I don’t know that they want to pay for right now,” Bucher said. “I’m pretty sure we caught it in time because it could have gotten way worse.”
