Several drivers impacted by problem with fuel at Selkirk gas station

A quick stop at a Selkirk gas station over the weekend has turned into a big headache for several drivers due to a problem with the fuel that stopped the vehicles dead in their tracks.

Caleb McKinnon was among a handful of drivers who stopped at the ESSO Gas Station on Main Street in Selkirk on Sunday to fill up on fuel. However, he says something happened to his car as he was pulling away from the station.

"As I was driving I noticed that the engine was starting to kind of hiccup," he said. "Then it started to putter and as I was driving, I was trying to give it gas and there was nothing happening."

As he pulled over, he said his car died and wouldn't restart.

It was a similar situation for Ashley Capner, who also filled up at the same gas station Sunday.

"My vehicle was smoking, lost all power and won't even go into neutral," she said. "It's totally dead."

Tim Case's daughter had been driving her vehicle after filling up at the station. While in the passing lane, Case said his daughter's car started shaking and then died.

"Right by a curve – a very dangerous, precarious situation," he told CTV News.

Several other drivers took to social media sharing similar stories of their vehicles stalling out shortly after filling up at the station.

Yogesh Sharma, the manager of the Esso gas station, said it appears some water got into the station's gas tank that supplies pumps seven and eight. The other pumps were not affected, he said.

"How the water got there, we don't know," Sharma told CTV News. "That's something that we're going to have to do tank testing and all that stuff and see what the root cause is."

The affected pump was shut down as of Monday until the fuel can be pumped out of the tank, Sharma said.

Regardless of how the water got into the tank, he said the company is going to help fix the problem.

He said customers that were affected are being told to come back to the station and fill out a form. He said the gas station needs a receipt of the repairs and a gas receipt showing they bought fuel on Sunday.

"We'll compensate them through insurance – that's all we can really do," he said.

Sharma said he believes fewer than 10 customers were affected. He said six have come in so far to get the form. McKinnon was among those filling out the form at the station Monday. He said he had to get his car towed back to his house.

"We're just waiting to figure out what to do with it for now," he said. "I'm hoping there will be some sort of compensation."

Kristy Rydz, the manager of communications for Manitoba Public Insurance told CTV News the claims data is not readily available.

"For all claims involving vehicle damage from suspected contaminated gas, MPI investigates the cause of the damage and works with the customer and repair shop as part of the claim process," Rydz said in an email. "Customers are asked to ensure their repair shop saves a gas sample along with any parts that were replaced prior to making a claim."

Rydz said those impacted by this can call MPI’s Contact Centre at 204-985-7000 or toll-free at 1-800-665-2410.

-With files from CTV News' Jon Hendricks