Kerosene Recalled, May Contain Gasoline

August / September 2008

Sept 09 2008 UPDATE –A Uni-Mart in Ellwood City, PA has discovered that it sold kerosene contaminated by gasoline. The store is one of the first in western Pennsylvania to confirm they sold contaminated kerosene shipped from Pittsburgh Terminals Corp.

The store is accepting kerosene that consumers believe may have been contaminated. Customers will receive $5 per gallon plus an addition payment for the container – $5 for a 1-gallon container, $8 for a 2.5-gallon container, and $11 for a 5-gallon container.

Sept 2 2008 UPDATE –Customers who have potentially contaminated kerosene can return the product to one of the Pennsylvania Kerosene Recall Collection Centers listed below for a full refund:

Aug 26 2008 UPDATE –Pittsburgh Terminals is investigating whether or not contaminated kerosene distributed from one of their storage facilities is linked to the death of a young Amish mother from New Wilmington, PA.

Ada Kurtz, 25, died in June after suffering fatal burns on close to 70 percent of her body. Ada's polyester dress caught on fire while she was lighting the flame of her family's wood-burning water heater. It was a routine that she repeated almost daily, but on this particular day, the ignited kerosene quickly burst into a fire, like gasoline, instead of progressing in a slow burn, the way that kerosene does.

Ada's family has been tormented by questions over her death, which the New Wilmington Fire Department concluded must have been caused by someone in the house putting gasoline into the wrong container. Since Pittsburgh Terminals announced its recall, Ada's relatives have said they have renewed hope for finding answers about what occurred that day. It is not clear if the recalled kerosene is linked to Ada's death, but the company said that it is investigating the possibility.

Aug 25 2008 ORIGINAL ALERT – A gas storage company located in Coraopolis, PA has issued a recall of kerosene sold in parts of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. Pittsburgh Terminals Corp. announced the recall due to concerns that the kerosene might contain gasoline and be explosive.

A gas station in Erie, PA reported a problem with its kerosene, and after the fuel was tested, it was found to be mixed with gasoline. Pittsburgh Terminals traced the problem to a malfunctioning valve at its storage facility just outside of Pittsburgh. People who bought kerosene from May 1 through August 19 in the affected states should immediately return the product.

The malfunctioning valve has been fixed, but the company does not know how much kerosene was affected and where it was shipped. Pittsburgh Terminals distributes kerosene for 37 suppliers. The company has been contacting gas stations and other retailers that receive its fuel and the retailers are supposed to be posting signs announcing the recall.