About 180 vehicles damaged after Busan gas station worker mixes up fuel types

About 180 vehicles were damaged after a worker at a self-service gas station in Busan accidentally pumped diesel into a gasoline storage tank, which was then sold to customers. Some drivers only discovered the contamination after taking their vehicles to a mechanic, and repair costs could run into the tens of millions of won depending on the condition of each vehicle.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. Saturday at a self-service station in Saha-gu, Busan, according to Yonhap. A worker mistakenly pumped diesel into a gasoline storage tank while transferring fuel.

The contaminated fuel was dispensed through the pumps and into customers' vehicles. Drivers were the first to notice something was wrong. The following day, customers who had used the station reported unusual symptoms while driving to both the station and the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority.

"My car started making strange noises while I was driving, so I took it to a mechanic and was told the fuel had been mixed," one affected driver said.

The station has so far identified about 180 damaged vehicles. Repair costs for affected owners range from around 1 million won ($736) to tens of millions of won, depending on the vehicle's condition. The station said it intends to compensate all affected owners.

Local authorities are also awaiting the outcome of an investigation. Saha-gu said it will decide whether to impose administrative penalties on the station, and how severe, once the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority releases its findings.

Under the current Petroleum Business Act, selling petroleum products that fail to meet quality standards or do not pass quality inspections is subject to administrative penalties. If the fuel is classified as counterfeit petroleum, the station faces a three-month suspension. If it is deemed substandard, the penalty can be either a three-month suspension or a warning, depending on whether the violation was intentional or grossly negligent.

If a business suspension is converted to a fine, the maximum penalty is 100 million won for counterfeit petroleum and 30 million won for substandard fuel.

"We plan to issue administrative penalties in accordance with relevant laws as soon as the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority releases its investigation results," a Saha-gu official said.