Hummer erupts in flames at Florida gas station after driver loads in 4 5-gallon gas cans

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/WKRG)

last updated 14 May 2021

An Alabama couple went viral earlier this week for stockpiling gas during a panicked rush on gas stations sparked by the temporary closure of the Colonial pipeline, which transports nearly half of the East Coast's fuel supply from Texas.

A driver in Homosassa, Florida, on Wednesday filled up four five-gallons containers of gas and placed them in the back of a Hummer H2, which shortly burst into flames. "Firefighters say one person was injured but refused to be transported for treatment, against medical advice," WFLA reports. It took about 10 minutes to extinguish the fire, the Miami Herald reports, and the Florida State Fire Marshal will investigate the cause of the explosion.

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Homosassa is in Citrus County, just north of Tampa Bay. "Experts say the crunch for gas in Florida has less to do with the cyberattack and more to do with people hoarding gas," the Herald reports. President Biden on Thursday urged Americans not to "get more gas than you need in the next few days." Specifically, "there's no need for concern in Tampa Bay because Florida gets 90 percent of its gas supply from cargo ships," WFLA adds.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.