Contaminated fuel ends Sussex dad's hospital visits

3:10pm Wednesday 12th December 2012 in News

Kenneth Edwards was not able to visit his son after his car broke down after he filled up with contaminated fuel Kenneth Edwards was not able to visit his son after his car broke down after he filled up with contaminated fuel

An 80-year-old has been left unable to visit his son in hospital after he unknowingly filled his car with contaminated fuel.

Kenneth Edwards’ 1990 Polo conked out days after he filled up from a petrol station in Newhaven.

After dropping the car off at his local mechanic, he read in The Argus about the suspected batch of contaminated fuel at the Texaco on Avis Way, Newhaven.

He checked his receipt to find that he had put nearly eight gallons in on the same day as others who had broken down.

He said: “There was no lead up, it just stopped dead.

“The RAC came out and did tests and concluded that it was full of contaminated fuel. I was on the way to visit my son in hospital in Eastbourne. Now I’m having to get the bus.

“For an older person it is just so convenient to have a car. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Tests needed

Mr Edwards went back to the Tate’s Fuel-run garage with his receipt only to be told that there was nothing they could do.

However, following a call from The Argus, Tate’s Fuel area manager, Rob Gochmanski, said he would contact Mr Edwards about the problem.

He added: “We sent off fuel samples for tests but the results were inconclusive.

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“We are having further tests done to find out if the problems are linked to our fuel.”

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Comments(4)

lorrie1 says...
4:49pm Wed 12 Dec 12

Probably fake petrol made in china? you can counterfiet anything these days.

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John Steed says...
5:30pm Wed 12 Dec 12

well I hope there is some follow up on this story,

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sussexram40 says...
7:47pm Wed 12 Dec 12

This happened to me many years ago. My car just conked out on the M25. AA called and traced the problem to a blocked fuel filter caused by contaminated fuel. I had just filled up about half hour previously. I got nowhere with the garage concerned and ended up having to pay the (small) repair bill myself. Very annoying. I wonder if petrol stations are not cleaning their tanks out or are allowing levels to drop to the bottom sludge to try and make more profit.

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Wivvy Dave says...
8:35pm Wed 12 Dec 12

Similar problem nearly 30years ago. Everyone who filled up at the small fortecourt near the tunnel entrance in Lewes (its a car sales now) all got a proportion of water in their fuel. As the fuel is lighter and floats the water went to the bottom of the tank and got sucked through to the engine. It was only when you stopped the car that the water effectively blocked the fuel line making it nearly impossible to restart the engine. When did this happen, Xmas eve, when did I try to move the car, Boxing day and where was the car at the time, blocking a perfectly good running car in the garage. I hope that the current spate of contamination is as simple to resolve as mine was - a quick drain down sorted the problem once neat fuel started to flow again the engine fired.

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