Major Gas Shortage In Western North Carolina Sends Drivers Scrambling

They lined up for hours, crowding busy roads, trying desperately to get gas.

A major fuel shortage in western north carolina has many stations there out of gas, and in some cities, only one or two stations at a time have supply.

In hard hit Hendersonville, there were lines Tuesday as far as the eye could see at some stations.

One driver, who drove by 8 empty stations told us, "It's terrible, trying to make sure you have enough gas to make it work."

At an Enmark on 176 in Hendersonville, one of the only local stations to get a Tuesday delivery of gas, drivers waited for two hours to pump; only to find the pump motor broke. Hundreds were turned away, not knowing where else to go.

Governor Easley's office says they have been in contact with major oil suppliers, asking for immediate deliveries to western north carolina.

Officials say it could be weeks before the supply is back to normal. That's because some refineries are still not working and it takes days just to start them up again.

Hendersonville Police, Henderson County Sheriffs deputies and the Highway Patrol had to send units to multiple gas stations for crowd control.

Getting the supply isn't easy for the suppliers too. We spoke to a gas station owner in Tryon who says they have no idea when they'll get gas and he says the supply is so low, the fuel trucks sometimes have to wait in line up to 6 hours to fill their tanker trucks.

Its not just Hendersonville having a shortage, other places in the region, like Asheville are having long lines too.

The story continues below the photos

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