Customers got gas instead of kerosene at O’Fallon convenience store for nearly a week

More than 50 gallons of gasoline were sold to customers who thought they were getting kerosene at a Circle K convenience store and gas station in O’Fallon, according to a company news release on Friday.

The gasoline apparently was dispensed between Friday, Dec. 30, and Thursday after a third-party carrier deposited it in a storage tank reserved for kerosene.

The Circle K is at 86 W. Highway 50, just south of O’Fallon Family Sports Park.

“Given the potential risks associated with using gasoline in machinery fueled by kerosene, we are working to contact customers who may have made these purchases,” the news release stated.

“We ask that any customers who purchased kerosene on these dates at this station to refrain from using these products in their equipment and to contact us immediately.”

Kerosene is typically used for heating, while gasoline fuels vehicles, lawnmowers and other engine-driven equipment. Experts warn that using one in place of the other can lead to fires or explosions.

In March, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office in Kentucky reported that a house fire may have been caused by the use of gasoline mistakenly dispensed instead of kerosene at a Three T Food Mart in Cecilia.

“This can be extremely dangerous,” the sheriff’s office wrote on its Facebook page.

Circle K operates 14,000 convenience stores in 24 countries and territories, according to its website. Its global headquarters is in Canada.

Here is the full statement from Circle K about the O’Fallon problem:

“At Circle K, nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and team members.

“We received word this morning that at one of our stations at 826 W HWY 50 in O’Fallon, Illinois, gasoline was apparently deposited by a third-party carrier in a storage tank reserved for kerosene. Approximately 53 gallons of gasoline were dispensed to customers intending to purchase kerosene between Friday, Dec. 30 and Thursday, January 5. Upon discovering the error this morning of Friday January 6, we immediately ceased all sales of kerosene at the location and are swiftly taking remedial actions.

“Given the potential risks associated with using gasoline in machinery fueled by kerosene, we are working to contact customers who may have made these purchases. We ask that any customers who purchased kerosene on these dates at this station to refrain from using these products in their equipment and to contact us immediately at 1-800-690-6227 or HLDCService@circlek.com so we can help rectify the issue.

“At Circle K, we live by the value of doing the right thing to protect the safety of our customers and team members. Again, we are asking all customers at this O’Fallon location who purchased kerosene over these dates to not use it and contact us immediately.”

This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 1:54 PM.