With cheap gasoline, people in Nghe An province are rushing to buy it to... stockpile.
(Baonghean.vn) - Following the sharp drop in fuel prices, some residents in the remote Ky Son district have rushed to buy and hoard gasoline, posing a high risk of fire and explosion and affecting security and order in the area.
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| Some well-off families even buy several large-capacity containers to store gasoline at home. (Photo: Lu Phu) |
On the afternoon of March 30th, at petrol station No. 5 in Muong Xen, part of the Ky Son General Commercial Center, a large number of people gathered to buy and stockpile gasoline. Not only were people filling their motorbike tanks, but many also used large and small plastic bottles and containers, ranging in capacity from 1.5 to 25 liters, to buy fuel to take home, causing crowding and chaos around the petrol station.
An employee at petrol station number 5 in Muong Xen said: Due to the overwhelming number of customers, one of the station's two petrol pumps has run out of fuel, and the other one might not have any left by tomorrow either.
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| On the morning of March 31st, this gas station temporarily closed due to the overwhelming number of customers and has now run out of fuel. (Photo: Lu Phu) |
This morning (March 31st), the situation of people rushing to buy and hoard gasoline is becoming increasingly serious. Currently, some gas stations have temporarily closed due to running out of fuel.
"It's rare to see gasoline this cheap, so I bought some to use gradually," shared a resident of Na Luong 2 village, Huu Kiem commune.
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| Crowds of people rushing to buy gasoline caused chaos at all four gas stations in Muong Xen town, Ky Son district. (Photo: Lu Phu) |
The situation of people scrambling to buy gasoline is not only happening at all four gas stations in Muong Xen town.
Mr. Nguyen Anh Doai, Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Department of Ky Son District People's Committee, said: The reason people are rushing to buy gasoline is because it's cheap and there are rumors that gas stations will close soon due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In response to this situation, authorities have organized campaigns to educate and encourage people not to hoard gasoline because there is no shortage of fuel and no gas stations will close. We also require gas stations to comply with the government's regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control during sales.
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| People are stockpiling gasoline, filling their motorbikes to the brim; some are buying more than 50 liters of gasoline to... hoard. (Photo: Lu Phu) |
The rush by residents of Ky Son border district, Nghe An province, to stockpile gasoline is unnecessary and poses many fire and explosion hazards. Furthermore, given the complex situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, large gatherings at gas stations increase the risk of disease transmission. Local authorities need to educate the public to avoid believing false rumors and prevent financial losses and health risks.
