MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Pennsylvania driver backed a minivan into a fuel pump at the University Avenue Sheetz about 8 a.m. on Friday, knocking it loose and requiring emergency responders.
Austin Vanderpole, 20, confused his gas and brake pedals while backing up and backed into a gas pump, Morgantown Spokesperson Krysta Chotkowski said. No criminal charges were issued since the accident was on private property and his insurance company is covering the damage, she said.
No one was hurt in the incident at the Morgantown Fire Department’s report determined Sheetz employees secured all hazards.
“We are certainly grateful no one was injured as a result of this accident. We handle any incident near our gas pumps with a great deal of caution and our employees have the ability to automatically turn off the gas supply from inside the store in situations such as this,” Sheetz Public Relations Manager Nick Ruffner said. “This is our protocol in the event of accidents and is what happened today.”
This incident is a reminder that drivers need to be careful around self-serve gas pumps, Fire Chief Mark Caravasos said.
“There are inherent hazards with fueling stations,” he said.
In cases like this, Caravasos said the most important thing is to make sure the gas pumps are turned off. There is usually an emergency switch on the outside of the building or somewhere close to the pumps. Next, 911 should be called, management notified and the area evacuated until the fire department can determine it’s safe.
When using self-serve pumps, Caravasos said to remember it’s the vapors that ignite, not the gasoline. So, refrain from smoking and turn off the vehicle’s engine while pumping.
