Drivers have been left with huge repair bills after filling up with contaminated fuel from a petrol station, prompting an official investigation.
One motorist in Droitwich travelled to her local petrol station earlier this month to fill up her car during a school run, before a warning light appeared on her dashboard.
The driver, Mirren Brewer, explained that she had filled up at a Sainsbury’s Local filling station on Worcester Road in Droitwich.
She explained that she took to social media to see if anyone else had experienced an issue with the fuel from the garage, with other motorists complaining of similar issues.
A mechanic suggested that the fuel used to top up her vehicle may have been “contaminated with water”, which was later confirmed.
Ms Brewer said that her car had not suffered “a horrendous amount of damage”, although it had cost her hundreds of pounds.
She told the BBC that she had to pay for garage costs, fuel drainage, and having the car towed, which set her back “roughly £500”.
Sainsbury’s stated that it would reimburse Ms Brewer for the issues with her car, although the driver stated that “it’s not something I want to happen again”.
Drivers have been left with huge repair bills after filling up with contaminated fuel
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As a result of the issues, the mother said she would rather pay more to pay for her fuel elsewhere than use the Sainsbury’s Local location again.
“I just don’t trust it anymore. It’s sad really because I want to save money, but I’m not willing to go through this hassle again,” she said.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s confirmed that tests had been conducted at the location in Droitwich, with evidence of “water in some diesel pumps”.
They explained that this was only during a “limited period”, believed to be around 10.40am on Monday, February 9, and 5.45pm on Tuesday, February 10.
Sainsbury’s confirmed that the tank had been inspected and was closed temporarily
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The spokesperson added: “Customers will be asked to provide proof of purchase for the fuel, along with documentation and costings from a local garage for any damage they believe was caused so that we can review each case and offer an appropriate resolution.”
The tank at the Sainsbury’s Local location has been inspected, with the associated pumps being closed off to drivers while repairs are completed.
Another motorist, Liv Heath, said her partner’s vehicle may need a new engine after filling up at the same location on February 9.
She told Worcester News that the vehicle had travelled two miles from the petrol station before breaking down, before adding that she was “angry”.
Around 150,000 cases of contaminated fuel issues are recorded every year | PAMs Heath criticised the response to the incident, noting that many drivers had complained about the same thing.
After taking the impacted van to a petrol station, the garage diagnosed issues with the vehicle as being caused by “contaminated with water and possibly petrol”.
The Sainsbury’s spokesperson apologised for any issues that may have been caused by contaminated fuel.
