Indian-origin gas station owner in Canada Sukhwinder Kandhola said he faced racist attack after he unknowingly sold contaminated gas that damaged at least 18 cars. (Photo: CTV News)
Indian-origin gas station owner in Ontario, Sukhwinder Kandhola, said he has been facing attacks after contaminated fuel was sold from his Eso gas station. “We didn’t do this on purpose. Some people are spreading this misinformation, which is not correct. It just happened. We don’t know still why it happened. And how the water got into the gas. The engineering company is trying to figure it out,” he said to CTV News. “Some people are trying to defame us and going on social media and putting bad comments,” said Kandhola. “It’s taking a toll on our mental health. Our kids are reading those comments. We are part of this community. We have been here for eight years.”On the evening of March 23, some customers came to him, complaining that they had taken gas from his station and that their cars were now not starting. He said he called technicians for inspection and they found there was water. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority shut down the gas station until the issue is fixed. Lindsay Fitzgerald, one of the customers whose car was affected by the contaminated gas taken from Kandhola’s station, told CTV News that her two-year-old Subaru would not start after filling with fuel. The mechanic she called told her there was more than 50 per cent water in the tank. The water was flushed out, and the car was not damaged. According to Kandhola, 18 vehicles were affected and he has contacted those affected to let them know his insurance company is involved and will be reaching out in the near future.“We don’t want to lose our customers,” said Kandhola. “We are really relying on these local people. They’re our bread and butter in the wintertime, especially when things slow down.”