Bad gas at N.J. station may have been contaminated by heavy rain

Thousands of gallons of gas are being removed from a tank at an Ocean Township Sunoco after a test sample found a significant amount of water in the supply, authorities said. Thirteen vehicles became disabled after drivers gassed up there. (Google Maps)

Heavy rains earlier this week may have contaminated an underground gasoline supply at an Ocean Township Sunoco, leaving more than a dozen motorists stranded as cars became disabled, a corporate spokeswoman said Friday.

Thirteen drivers told police their vehicles experienced problems after fueling at the station. Some reported smoking and vibrating engines shortly after gassing up at the Wanamassa Sunoco on Route 35 at Sunset Avenue in Ocean Township, authorities said.

"We believe that this is an isolated incident and the recent heavy rains may have been a contributing factor in this situation," Jeamy Molina, a Sunoco spokeswoman in Dallas, Texas, said Friday.

A sample taken Thursday from a 5,000-gallon underground tank "revealed a significant amount of water in the gasoline," said Township Police Lt. Timothy R. Torchia.

The gas station was closed while state and local officials investigate the cause, Torchia said.

Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry P. Scharfenberger said Tuesday's heavy rains left the county's "interior creeks unusually swollen." But he added no cause for the gasoline problem had been determined by Friday.

Scharfenberger said 3,000 gallons of tainted gasoline had been removed Thursday and hauled to a disposal facility two hours away. The remaining 2,000 gallons were removed Friday and the tank sealed.

The contaminated gas was found in a tank containing regular gas. No contamination was found in another underground tank containing premium gas, said Larry Hajna, spokesman for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

Sunoco said all fuel pumps at the station will be shut down until the company institutes "a number of testing and tank cleansing procedures to ensure fuel quality meets and exceeds specifications."

Customers who experienced vehicle problems may call the company at 1-800-SUNOCO-1.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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