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Gas Crisis Hits Arizona Stations
Aired August 18, 2003 - 14:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Definitely a flashback to 1970s. Waiting for hours at the pumps. Gas stations running dry. Prices going through the roof. Guess what, it's happening again.
Phoenix, Arizona, is the place a week after major pipelines shut down. Olivia Fierro, with our affiliate KDTK joins us now from one station still in business -- Olivia.
OLIVIA FIERRO, KDTK CORRESPONDENT: One of the very few stations still in business, Kyra.
And let me tell you that that doesn't make being out here any more comfortable. Let me set the scene for you.
It is already 104 degrees outside. And take a look at this line. It is long. In fact, some of the cars that would be piled out onto the street are having to pull in in hopes that they don't lose their spot in line. That's kind of how the situation is getting. Not the mention the heat.
Let me pop over here and see if one gentleman waiting for gas might want to speak with us.
Sir, how are you feeling? I imagine it's warm in there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's pretty warm.
FIERRO: How long have you been waiting in this line?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I've only been in this line about 15 minutes, but I've been driving around town looking for a station that's open the last 40 minutes.
FIERRO: What do you think of this problem?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't understand why they can't figure out some way to get more gas into Phoenix.
FIERRO: That's the sentiment that's been shared by quite a few people along here. Actually I mentioned a young lady who was having trouble because she couldn't keep her car out on the street.
It's actually becoming hazardous for you to wait. You pulled in, but I see that you don't have a spot in line. What are you going to do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'll just have to parallel park and bark up and wait just like everyone else. If I get to the back of the line I'll be old holding up regular traffic. So I can't do that so I'll have to be patient and wait for everyone, you know, to get gas.
FIERRO: At this point we've seen prices rise. But I bet you're willing to pay just about anything to get yourself gasoline.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is -- I'm on "E." I mean, my light is on. So I'm going to run out of gas if I don't do something quickly.
FIERRO: I hear you. Our news unit went through the same thing this morning here.
And it is hot out here and according to AAA, this pipeline needs to be tested. It's likely going to be another two weeks or so before we have any improvement.
So people are recommended to kind of fill up in the morning. A loft these stations are getting their supplies around 5 a.m. Most of them are only lasting about four hours or so. So this is literally only one of the stations within a large radius that actually has any gas left.
So a tough day testing everybody's patience out here.
PHILLIPS: No doubt. You're saying an average of four hours the gas lasts?
FIERRO: That's it. And most of these gas stations get two to three shipments per day. But right now they're only getting one.
So this place actually got its shipment a little later in the day around 9 a.m. our time, so it's lasted so far about three hours or so. But the other places that filled up at 5 a.m., by 7, 7:30 we were seeing out of gas.
PHILLIPS: Unbelievable. Olivia Fierro with our affiliate KTVK. Thanks so much, Olivia.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 18, 2003 - 14:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Definitely a flashback to 1970s. Waiting for hours at the pumps. Gas stations running dry. Prices going through the roof. Guess what, it's happening again.
Phoenix, Arizona, is the place a week after major pipelines shut down. Olivia Fierro, with our affiliate KDTK joins us now from one station still in business -- Olivia.
OLIVIA FIERRO, KDTK CORRESPONDENT: One of the very few stations still in business, Kyra.
And let me tell you that that doesn't make being out here any more comfortable. Let me set the scene for you.
It is already 104 degrees outside. And take a look at this line. It is long. In fact, some of the cars that would be piled out onto the street are having to pull in in hopes that they don't lose their spot in line. That's kind of how the situation is getting. Not the mention the heat.
Let me pop over here and see if one gentleman waiting for gas might want to speak with us.
Sir, how are you feeling? I imagine it's warm in there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's pretty warm.
FIERRO: How long have you been waiting in this line?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I've only been in this line about 15 minutes, but I've been driving around town looking for a station that's open the last 40 minutes.
FIERRO: What do you think of this problem?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't understand why they can't figure out some way to get more gas into Phoenix.
FIERRO: That's the sentiment that's been shared by quite a few people along here. Actually I mentioned a young lady who was having trouble because she couldn't keep her car out on the street.
It's actually becoming hazardous for you to wait. You pulled in, but I see that you don't have a spot in line. What are you going to do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'll just have to parallel park and bark up and wait just like everyone else. If I get to the back of the line I'll be old holding up regular traffic. So I can't do that so I'll have to be patient and wait for everyone, you know, to get gas.
FIERRO: At this point we've seen prices rise. But I bet you're willing to pay just about anything to get yourself gasoline.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is -- I'm on "E." I mean, my light is on. So I'm going to run out of gas if I don't do something quickly.
FIERRO: I hear you. Our news unit went through the same thing this morning here.
And it is hot out here and according to AAA, this pipeline needs to be tested. It's likely going to be another two weeks or so before we have any improvement.
So people are recommended to kind of fill up in the morning. A loft these stations are getting their supplies around 5 a.m. Most of them are only lasting about four hours or so. So this is literally only one of the stations within a large radius that actually has any gas left.
So a tough day testing everybody's patience out here.
PHILLIPS: No doubt. You're saying an average of four hours the gas lasts?
FIERRO: That's it. And most of these gas stations get two to three shipments per day. But right now they're only getting one.
So this place actually got its shipment a little later in the day around 9 a.m. our time, so it's lasted so far about three hours or so. But the other places that filled up at 5 a.m., by 7, 7:30 we were seeing out of gas.
PHILLIPS: Unbelievable. Olivia Fierro with our affiliate KTVK. Thanks so much, Olivia.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
