Hummer Loaded With Containers Of Hoarded Gas Bursts Into Flames

CITRUS COUNTY, FL — In the midst of fighting a major wildfire that's been creeping precariously close to homes in Crystal River over the past two days, crews with the Citrus County Fire Rescue were diverted to Homosassa after a Hummer loaded with hoarded gasoline burst into flames.

According to Citrus County Fire Rescue, the 2004 Hummer H2 caught fire Wednesday at 10:52 a.m. as it was leaving a Homosassa gas station.

Fire officials said the driver filled four 5-gallon containers with gas at the Texaco Food Mart at 7593 W. Grover Cleveland Blvd., and placed them in the back of the Hummer just before the vehicle caught fire.

Firefighters were able to douse the flames in about 10 minutes. One person was injured but refused to be taken to the hospital.

The Florida State Fire Marshal and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were called in to investigate the fire and coordinate the cleanup of the fuel spill.

The fire occurred on the same day Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to avoid "panic buying" after the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline due to a cyberattack over the weekend. The pipeline supplies about 45 percent of the fuel to the East Coast, including Florida.

On Tuesday night, DeSantis declared a state of emergency, saying the disruption of Colonial Pipeline operations poses a “significant and immediate threat” to fuel delivery to Florida.

At the same time, he urged Floridians not to hoard gasoline and risk causing a statewide shortage.

Nevertheless, drivers have been lining up at service stations around the state to fill up gas tanks.

Describing them as "little red bombs," the National Park Service is warning motorists against carrying filled gas containers in car trunks or pickup truck beds.

If you need gas for a lawn mower or other gas-powered device, use only an Underwriters Laboratories-approved red plastic gas container and fill it only 95 percent full. Then drive straight home and remove the gas container from the vehicle.

See related stories:

• 'Don't Hoard Gas,' Floridians Urged As Some Stations Run Out
• FL Gas Prices Increase After Cyberattack On Colonial Pipeline
• Don’t Put Gas In Plastic Bags, Safety Agency Warns Fuel Hoarders
• Gas Shortages, Prices Spike During Colonial Pipeline Shutdown