In each “Behind the Scenes” segment, Village Media's Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our local journalists to talk about the story behind the story.
These interviews are designed to help you better understand how our community-based reporters gather the information that lands in your local news feed. You can find more Behind the Scenes from reporter across Ontario here.
Today's spotlight is on GuelphToday.com's Santana Bellantoni, whose story 'Bad gas customers in limbo waiting for compensation' was published on Feb. 2.
Below is the full story, in case you missed it.
The Mobil gas station on Woolwich Street is still closed and customers are left wondering if they will get their money back after unknowingly pumping their tanks with bad gas.
On Jan. 26 people filled up their gas tanks at the pumps on 546 Woolwich St. and then their cars stopped working. Leaving them with repair bills, tow bills, and car rental costs because of bad gas.
Ella van Oene was left with a $1,200 bill after putting around $20 of gas in her car from the Mobil station. As a student she said she doesn’t have the ability to pay for it and asked her parents for help to cover the cost.
She asked for a sample of the gas and she plans to get it tested.
ExxonMobil, the oil and gas corporation associated with Mobil emailed van Oene a form to fill out regarding the bad gas incident. The form had questions like; what symptoms occurred, have you seen a mechanic, was anyone at the site notified, etc.
She hopes to be reimbursed.
People can contact the gas supplier here.
Brian Holstein and Laci Frazier received the same form. They haven’t heard anything back from corporate.
The operator of the Mobil gas station contacted Frazier on Tuesday and didn’t have much information to give her. She said she asked for a timeline and he couldn’t tell her one.
He apologized, but after she told him she has spent nearly $1,600 because of the bad gas, he told her this has affected several families.
It’s not several families, she said. There are over 20 people in a group chat she created that have been dealing with the same issue.
“Are you guys not grasping how much of an impact this has had on people?” she said is the thought that went through her mind.
“I understand that they're saying. They're doing their best to rectify through insurance. But to me, that would also involve a lot more accountability and communication than what's been happening,” said Frazier.
GuelphToday was contacted by the Mobil operator for an initial article. He said a technician came to investigate and found water entered the gas because of faulty equipment. He called from a private number and declined to give his name.
GuelphToday attempted to speak to the Mobil operator again but was not immediately successful.
There is a consensus of mistrust, said van Oene, who is also part of the group chat.
“Like, where do we go to get gas now? And are we sure that it's good gas? And I feel like this isn't something that we should have to deal with,” said van Oene.
Bringing a pop bottle to the gas station and filling it up before filling the gas tank might be the solution to avoid bad gas, said Holstein, jokingly.
He wants to be compensated. He spent about $250 between gas and repairs.
Holstein is concerned about what the future damage to his car could be. He also wonders what the cost the environment will be and where the bad gas goes.
“That's one hell of a lot of gas. And if they have to clean out that tank, what happens to it?” he said.
Frazier is waiting until midday Monday to hear from the operator or someone higher up in the company. “That's really my breaking point. Because I don't want to keep it just in the limbo forever,” she said.
“We're going to be taking legal action. It's not a matter of if, it's just a matter of when,” said Frazier.
