Indian-Canadian gas station owner Sukhwinder Kandhola said he faced racist attacks after he unknowingly sold contaminated gasoline that damaged at least 18 cars. (Picture: CTV News)
Sukhwinder Kandhola, an Indian-American gas station owner in Ontario, said he has been facing attacks after selling contaminated fuel at his Eso station. “We didn’t do it on purpose. Some people are spreading this misinformation, which is not true. It just happened. We still don’t know why this happens. And how water gets into the gas. Engineering companies are working hard to fix the problem,” he told CTV News. “Some people are trying to defame us and make bad comments on social media,” Kandola said. “This is taking a toll on our mental health. Our children are reading these comments. We are part of this community. We’ve been here eight years. “On the evening of March 23, some customers came to him and complained that they had taken gasoline from his gas station and now their cars would not start. He said he called technicians to check and they found water. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority closed the petrol station until the problem was resolved. Lindsay Fitzgerald, a customer affected by the contaminated gas at a Candola gas station, told CTV News her two-year-old Subaru wouldn’t start after filling up with gas. She called her mechanic who told her the tank was over 50% full. The water was washed away and the car was not damaged. According to Kandhola, 18 vehicles are affected and he has contacted those affected to let them know his insurance company is involved and will contact them in the near future.“We don’t want to lose our customers,” Kandola said. “We really rely on these locals. They’re our bread and butter in the winter, especially when things slow down.”
