Fuel shortage at Halifax-area gas stations

HALIFAX – Several gas stations in the Halifax area are running low or running out of gas, leaving many customers frustrated.

The Cheapy Tire on Windmill Road was out of gas Saturday. Many vehicles drove into the lot only to leave right away after spotting signs stating “Out of fuel.”

“We can’t exactly tell [customers] when we’re going to have fuel,” said manager Bill Campbell.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We can't exactly tell [customers] when we're going to have fuel," said manager Bill Campbell.

Marissa Meade did a double-take when she saw the signs covering the nozzles at the pumps.

The Esso station on Robie Street was shut down due to the gas shortage.

Driver Steven Power said he heard about the shortage and dropped by the Esso thinking he would fill up just in case.

“Wishful thinking I guess,” he said.

“Hopefully I can fill up somewhere. I’m just glad I have at least half a tank in order to get me by.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Hopefully I can fill up somewhere. I'm just glad I have at least half a tank in order to get me by."

Kelly Colbourne was feeling a bit more frustrated. She drove to three different stations within 15 minutes searching for gas, finally finding success at the Needs gas station in Bedford.

“You feel like you’re getting a little break with the decrease in fuel price and you don’t get to benefit from it,” she said.

That station ran out of supreme gas while Global News was there.

Multiple calls to Irving Oil and Imperial Oil for further explanation about the shortage were not returned.

Several essential services said they have plans to deal with the gas shortage.

Cst. Mark Skinner with Nova Scotia RCMP said, as of Saturday afternoon, there were no issues with patrol cars running low on fuel. He said there are other resources for police to fill up if necessary.

A spokesperson for Halifax Fire said fire engines fuel up through HRM depots, but if those depots were to run out of fuel, the fire department has contracts with other companies that deliver oil.

Jean Spicer, a spokesperson for EHS, said the organization was alerted to the shortage Friday night. She said the company received a list of Irving stations, which are the preferred vendor for EHS, that still had gas and a page was put out to paramedics to keep their ambulances topped up. Spicer said service has not been compromised as a result.