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Residents lining up for gas at Riverhead stations

Sandy, Long Island, gas crisis, gouging, Hurricane
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | A Sunoco station on Route 25 in Calverton about 3 p.m. Thursday. The price for a regular gallon, cash, was $3.89.

Local gas stations are running out of fuel — or just don’t have the power to pump gasoline from the ground — after Hurricane Sandy caused transfer stations father west on Long Island  to stop sending deliveries, station managers and workers said Wednesday.

“I spoke to the wholesaler and he said it’ll be a couple of days [until deliveries arrive],” said 7-Eleven owner Mike Lebci.

The gas station on Route 58 still had gas Wednesday afternoon, but was running out of fuel to sell to customers. Mr. Lebci said the station lost power Tuesday and would sell whatever it had left in its tanks.

An attendant at a Gulf station on Route 58 said the station only had premium fuel left, and said he was hopeful they would get more deliveries Thursday.

But other gas stations were already out of gas, and managers were less optimistic they would be receiving shipments from up Island soon, as several Long Island terminals have been without power since the storm.

Traffic cones blocked the gas pumps BP station on Route 58, while a Hess station east of Roanoke Avenue has paper signs plastered to the pumps saying the store and gas pumps were closed.

In neighboring Southold only three of 11 gas stations checked by a reporter were still open late Wednesday afternoon, one in Mattituck and two in Cutchogue.

Shafique, a manager at a Mobile station on Route 58, said his station had already run out of fuel. The storm didn’t knock out their power, so they were able to stay open throughout the storm selling fuel, he said.

The store had double the normal amount of customers Tuesday, but ran out of regular fuel Tuesday night. Premium fuel ran out Wednesday morning, Shafique said.

“We’re trying very hard [to get more gas],” he said, adding that his superiors were not answering their phones. Shafique said he has no idea when more shipments will arrive.

“Last year with Irene we had the same problem,” he said. “But that was just for a night. This is bigger than last time.”

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PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | A sign at the Gulf gas station on Route 58 warns customers that they have run out of regular fuel. Premium fuel at the station was dwindling, Wednesday evening.
Sandy, Long Island, Gas Crisis
TIM GANNON PHOTO | Cars lined up for gas at Hess in Riverhead.