A deadly pipeline explosion in Alabama has gas station owners here in Athens concerned about shortages. One owner has already put a ten gallon limit on customers.

Rakesh Gosain is the owner of Jimbo’s on Baxter Street in Athens. He received an email this morning from his gas supplier that told him his next order of gas was not guaranteed to arrive on time as a result of the pipeline explosion. He predicts that several stations in the Athens area will experience shortages in the coming days, but there should still be enough gas to go around.

“We don’t need to panic, this is not the only gas station in town it’s not like, worst scenario.”- Gosain

Gosain says, he has already seen a six scent increase in some gas stations around Athens.  Gosain adds that gas prices could rise by as much as twenty cents per gallon in the next few days. According to GasBuddy.com the average price of a gallon of gas in Georgia is $2.17, the highest is $2.31, and the lowest price is $1.87. The highest price listed so far at gas stations in the Athens averages $2.04 per gallon.

The Colonial Pipeline Company says the explosion happened shortly after 3:00P.M on October 31st.  According to the official press release- at 11:55A.M on November 1st, one person died and four others are still in the hospital. The company has shut down the pipeline involved in the explosion and it is not expected to re-open until the end of the week.

By: LaPorsche Thomas and Cam Gaskins