Customers of Hometown’s Turkey Hill Minit Mart had an unpleasant surprise on Friday morning due to a fuel delivery mix-up.

Over a dozen vehicles that filled up at Turkey Hill along Claremont Avenue had reportedly broken down due to the lines containing diesel fuel instead of regular gasoline.Turkey Hill’s advertising and public relations manager Kim Hertzog released a statement in the early afternoon, confirming the fuel mix-up.“Early this morning, we were alerted of a fuel hauler error at our location at 205 Claremont Ave., Tamaqua,” Hertzog said. “As a result of this error, diesel fuel was dropped into a regular gas tank. All dispensers are currently shut down and being inspected. The dispensers will not be restored until the situation is completely resolved.”Problems began after the 5 a.m. fuel delivery to Turkey Hill.Jim Thorpe resident Christian Bartulovich stopped by the station to fuel up at 5:31 a.m. while on his way to work.“My vehicle started knocking and stalled out on the road in front of the church in Ryan Township about 3 or 4 miles away,” Bartulovich said. “I got picked up by the tow truck at about 6:30 and dropped off at Cal’s (Tire and Auto Service) in Tamaqua. My wife had to come out and get me with our 2-week-old daughter in tow. I’m really quite irate about the whole thing, considering I had to miss a day of work.”Bartulovich did say that Turkey Hill’s store manager was very polite in handling the issue, and ensured that he would relay his information to their liability insurance company.Another unfortunate driver who fell victim to the fuel mess was Hometown resident Laura Kennedy, who lives only about a quarter-mile from the station.“I was there at about 7:40 a.m.,” Kennedy said. “By the time Hope’s (Collision and 24-Hour Towing) picked me up at 8:15, I was the fourth car with the same issue they towed. When I called Cal’s at 8:15 to let them know I was taking my car there, and when I told them what the problem was, they asked, ‘Did you get gas at Turkey Hill at Hometown this morning?’“When I said I did, they told me I was the third person to call with the same issue.”Hope’s Collision and 24-Hour Towing in Tamaqua reported early Friday morning that they had already towed five vehicles with the same problem.After noon, two rigs were seen at the station, presumably draining the diesel and refilling the vats with the correct fuel — gasoline.Kennedy later said that she had been contacted directly by Turkey Hill’s parent company, Kroger.“The customer service person I talked to said that the delivery driver did put diesel in the unleaded tank,” she said. “He was incredibly apologetic and friendly. They seemed to be on top of it.”Kennedy also said that Kroger’s insurance would cover the cost of a rental car up to $35 if necessary.Any customer who purchased gas at this location between 4:45 and 8:15 a.m. Fridayshould contact the Turkey Hill corporate office at

717-299-8908, or send an email to

vic.johnson@sedgwickcms.com or

Stephen.howze@sedgwickcms.com.