Why Multiple Vehicles Broke Down in Owensboro KY Thursday

A bizarre occurrence in Owensboro Thursday morning might have made a professional conspiracy theorist wonder if alien spacecraft were hovering overhead. Long story short...no spacecraft.

Several Owensboro Motorists Report Breakdowns Thursday Morning

But when multiple vehicles break down on the same morning, you could understand if someone thought a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind was playing out in our humble river city.

After several motorists bought gasoline at a Shell Station on Carter Road and Tamarack Road, comments like the ones below began making appearances on social media:

Hannah McCarty -- Did anyone get gas this morning at the Shell on Carter & Tamrack and have car issues? If so, message me!

Jessica Clark Quinn -- YES! I was stuck at the light getting off the bypass onto Parrish. Someone stopped me and told me about it. I have a number too. Let me know what comes out of it. I am seeing cars broke down all over town.

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Madasin Ebelhar -- Yes! We was broke down with our kids in the middle of Carter when it was super busy, had to call a cop to help us get it out of the left turning lane to get onto the bypass.

Why This Shell Gasoline Caused Owensboro Vehicles to Break Down

Hinderliter Construction Inc. is also a company that maintains gas pumps in a four-state coverage area, including Kentucky. I spoke with Hinderliter's Brian Hickey who told me what happened.

The massive underground gas tanks are sealed with a cap and a gasket that are secured by two arms. One of the arms in one of the tanks broke off, resulting in rainwater getting into the gasoline. By the time the alarms went off, enough drivers had purchased gas to cause a mass breakdown incident in Owensboro.

Customers who bring in their receipts from purchases made while this was happening will be reimbursed. The pumps have been shut down until further notice.