Drivers say contaminated gas from Moore County gas station damaged their cars

MOORE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A woman is looking for answers after she stopped to pump diesel fuel and regular gasoline came out of the pump instead.

Michele Westmoreland often stops at the ALCO gas station off Highway 211 in Aberdeen.

"It's the closest one," she said. "It's the neighborhood gas station."

But last Thursday, Westmoreland bought more than she bargained for.

"When I came back out and got in my truck, it wouldn't start. It completely surprised me."

And she's not alone. It turns out she and several others who bought diesel gas from ALCO are in the same boat.

"I opened the gas lid and it smelled just like gas. Not diesel," she said.

ABC11 reached out to the oil company, but have not heard back.

But the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said they shut down the diesel tanks at ALCO after receiving several complaints. They said they tested the fuel and found it was contaminated with about 65 percent gasoline.

"We don't feel like it was the gas station's fault," said Westmoreland. "It was whoever dispersed the product."

State officials told ABC11 the gas station is shut down until further notice.

Good news for Westmoreland is that her truck is back running. But she said she would like to be compensated for the three days of work she missed.

"I would like to see the oil companies pay for everything that's gone wrong," she said.