ever had your car covered with petrol?

[Raglanparade]

Today while i was at work, i parked my car at my usual spot alongside the Petrol Station that sits out the front of the supermarket complex that i work in (I work in the Liquor Department)

A tanker pulled into the service station and began to fill the underground tanks. The truck driver must have overfilled the underground tanks, as petrol began to gush out of the exhaust pipes (which happen to be next to the supermarket car park).

It happened to be my 1993 Mitsubishi Verada that was parked in the unfortunate car spot that bore the brunt of the petrol that was spewing out of the exhaust pipes.

What do you do when your car gets covered in petrol ?

I have hosed it down three times, and washed it as well, but i think i need something in the interior, as the interior still smells like fuel.
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Slightly off-topic, but this is the continuation of my story.

The truck driver then tryed to cover up the situation. He quickly/supposeably washed down my car with a bucket (something i dispute cuz the car still smelt feral), and then went on with his job. He didnt even think about the petrol that was spilling on the downhill slope across the carpark towards the supermarket (and my beloved liquor department).

It was not until a customer came in and reported petrol on the carpark about 10-15 mins later, that the supermarket was aware of the situation, and it was close to an hour before the Fire Brigade arrived and began to move people and cars away from the area, and put foam down on the car park.

One cigerette butt in that hour could have ended in disaster. After discovering the spilliage, i was informed by safeway to quickly move my car, so that it would not be in the way of the fire brigade.

After the firies turned up, i was informed that i was lucky to be alive after moving my car !

Anyways, does anyone here think that i would be entitled to any type of compensation ? and what would be the best way to go about it ?

[ensign14]

Under English law you would be entitled to compensation from the petrol supplier as they were negligent. Your damages would be the cost of restoring your car to good order, plus maybe something for loss of use. Write to them, their insurers would probably get on the case.

Dunno what it's like in the States. Probably a punitive level of damages for the cover-up.

[Tim Falce]

I am just wondering how this could happen. I am not sure where you are but in the UK they don't pump petrol from the tanker into the tank, it is all done by gravity. The vent pipes are higher than the tanker so the fuel level should equalize before it sprays out.
As far is I know they also now vent the fumes back into the tanker. We have a filling station at the end of our garden and up untill about 5 years ago when they had a delivery the fumes were vented to atmosphere and our house would stink for hours after if the wind was blowing in our direction.

[Raglanparade]

I live in Australia, and the vent pipes at the Petrol Station are higher then the tanker.

Beats me how it occured.

Would i be able to get money out of the petrol company as it could affect the future sale value of the car ?

[ensign14]

Probably only if the diminution of value would be less than the cost of repairing it...otherwise you will have failed to mitigate your loss.

Maybe your insurers could help?

[Truckosaurus]

You should invest in some 'No Smoking' stickers for the dashboard.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by jasonhill9884

I live in Australia, and the vent pipes at the Petrol Station are higher then the tanker.

Beats me how it occured.

Would i be able to get money out of the petrol company as it could affect the future sale value of the car ?

I would definately go for some sort of compensation on this. Why not contact them politely and ask them what there stance on this is and take it from there.

[Raglanparade]

I rang up Toll Transport this morning, and got diverted to the truck drivers boss who is on business in Sydney at the moment. He said that he wants to see the car before he makes any payment or allows for anything to happen.

The car itself is fine, the paintwork seems to have escaped injury, but the strong smell inside the car is still there. I put the car through a $13 Deluxe 'Touch-Free' car wash, and the paintwork actually looks a treat now !

Toll and Safeway are trying to pass the buck. Toll is saying that its Safeways (Woolworths) fault for having a dodgy valve on the fume outlet, and Safeway is saying its Toll's fault for having not shown due care during the incident.

I was hoping to get some compensation for it, but it doesnt look likely at this stage.

I have filled in an incident report internally through Woolworths and that will go to the Health and Safety department tommorow, it will be interesting to see what happens of the situation.

[johnh875]

Ask them casually whether Worksafe have investigated the incident and their work procedures...

[Raglanparade]

Well the fact that a fire truck didnt turn up for an hour at a petrol spill has to make you wonder....