Dozens of cars have broken down after drivers “filled up with contaminated fuel” at a BP garage.
Motorists have been left without their vehicles when they stopped working after reportedly visiting the BP garage in Rayleigh, Essex.
BP told the BBC that it had identified a potentially contaminated tank at the site which it is currently investigating.
A local businessman who runs a local emergency fuel draining service said his “phone hasn’t stopped” and that he had been called out 40 times since Monday.
“Within an hour of [the first call], our phone hadn’t stopped,” Lee Pretlove told BBC Essex. “There’s quite a lot of cars affected. There are 40 we’ve dealt with and more coming in.”
He told the Basildon, Canvey and Southend Echo that he believed the issue stemmed from water contamination with petrol in the affected pump.
Mr Pretlove suspected that up to 100 cars could have been affected, with others potentially contacting other services.
He told the BBC that one customer has had five of his vans break down and said: “He had none of his vans going to work that day, so, as you can imagine, he was quite upset,”
A BP spokesperson said: “We have identified an issue at the site with a potentially contaminated tank, which is currently under investigation.
“We are taking steps to assess the potential impact and determine the number of people who may be affected. Any customers with concerns should contact our careline for support – careline@bp.com.”
The garage was shut on Tuesday but later reopened on Wednesday with the pump in question remaining out of use.
Experts fuel fixers say one of the first indicators of contaminated gasoline systems may be engine issues, especially if you don’t check the tank or fuel as part of routine maintenance checks. These can include luctuating speeds, a loss of acceleration, and sputtering.
Drivers are urged to take action immediately by draining their tank and lines and flushing the system with fresh fuel – it is recommended to seek the help of a professional.
