Panic Buying and Reckless Handling of Gasoline
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The recent shutdown of the gas and oil Colonial Pipeline resulted in panic buying and consumers recklessly capturing and storing gasoline.
Right now, southeastern states are the hardest hit by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown which provides 45 percent of fuel to the East Coast.
Although the pipeline is back online, getting supply to market will take a few days.
Fox News reports:
“Following this restart, it will take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal,” Colonial Pipeline said in a statement. “Some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions during the start-up period.”
There are reports of long lines, stations running out of gas and fights breaking out.
GAS LINES: A line of cars extends into the road at the Exxon at Carmel Commons. Experts say panic-buying is contributing to the gas shortage more than the pipeline cyberattack. #WCCB @WCCBCharlotte pic.twitter.com/TAEWjm81jw
— Marvin Beach (@MBeach14) May 11, 2021
North Carolina update:
78% of Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson stns no gasoline
72% of Raleigh/Durham stns no gasoline
71% of Charlotte stns no gasoline
69% of Greenville/New Bern/Washington stns no gasoline
65% of Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport stns no gasoline— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) May 12, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvB6cYJS4yM
Video shows wild fight at North Carolina gas station amid panic buying https://t.co/cwytxWC2mu pic.twitter.com/Dw8kuRjBub
— New York Post (@nypost) May 13, 2021
Images captured people recklessly loading their cars with gasoline.
And these people either panicking buying (helping to cause a shortage issue) or being greedy. Not sure which at this point. pic.twitter.com/fXyv3QP1WD
— R. A. (@darkvanillarose) May 12, 2021
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a dire warning.
Use only containers approved for fuel.
— US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) May 12, 2021
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management also made an announcement.
Remember when it wasn't a good idea to panic buy toilet paper last year? 🧻 Please don't do it with gas now. ⛽️ This can create spot shortages at stations, which is what we DON'T want to happen. Colonial Pipeline hopes to resume normal operations soon. pic.twitter.com/BeEo1ShKmi
— Virginia Department of Emergency Management (@VDEM) May 12, 2021
The pipeline shutdown shines a spotlight on the importance of alternative energy infrastructure and cybersecurity measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again, with our energy resources or other goods and services.
Consumers recklessly capturing and storing gasoline are putting themselves and others in harm’s way.