Gas shortages rampant near Miami ahead of Hurricane Irma
MIAMI -- Florida Gov. Rick Scott held off Friday on opening southbound lanes to northbound traffic on interstates because he needed those lanes for trucks delivering supplies, including gasoline, ahead of Hurricane Irma.
Gas stations, operating on fumes, are shutting off the pumps.
On south Miami Beach Friday afternoon, one Texaco station was the only place to buy fuel, and Dana Sapping and her husband Larry were the last ones to get it.
Michelle Pineda was heading out of Miami, evacuating to Tampa.
"All the gas stations in Miami are empty. But as far as getting here, so far, so good. So, hopefully it stays this way," Pineda said.
Many of the stations that had long lines Thursday were clear Friday because they've either run out of fuel or the people who own the stations have closed up.
Friday was nothing like Thursday, when one man had to push his car to the pump. He drove 70 miles looking for fuel.
Nearly 40 percent of stations in Miami and a quarter of those as far north as Tallahassee are out of gas. They're getting help, as fuel tankers are arriving by police escort.
"For gas stations in evacuation zones, we need you to stay open as long as you can so people can get as much fuel and get out. We will arrange police escorts for your employees so they can get out safely," Scott said in a Friday news conference.
If you're evacuating north, along the Florida turnpike, you're going to want to stop by the Pompano Beach Service Plaza. They've got 32 pumps and things are moving smoothly. There's no real line right now and the plaza says they will stay open as late as they can tonight, maybe midnight, until the Florida highway patrol says it's time to shut it down.
