A pipeline burst causes gas shortages in Rome.

Madelin Ryan, Viking Fusion Reporter

Four states declared a State of Emergency last week after a Colonial gas pipeline burst in Alabama. This pipeline supplies over 40 percent of the East Coast’s gas, pumping 1.3 million barrels of gas per day.

Over the weekend, gas prices rose in Alabama, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina between five and 20 cents.

Gas prices increase in Rome.

By Monday morning, numerous gas stations in the local area were closed due to the increased demand, causing a shortage.

“Everybody hit the gas pumps and that only escalated the situation,” said Brad Barris, Director of Purchasing at Berry. “On a normal day, we use about 100 gallons. On Monday, it was up to 800.”

Some stations rationed their supplies, allowing 10 dollars of gas per customer, while others used this time to improve their stations with paint jobs and other repairs.

The BP on Shorter Avenue in Rome had every pump open on Tuesday, but the employees refused to comment as to how they kept the station running.

“A lot of stations hoard the gas,” said Jerry Hipps, a gasoline truck driver of 30 years. “They have it. They just don’t sell it because they don’t want it to run out later on.”

Gas stations are forced to close temporarily.

Hipps commented that this is the second time in his 30 years as a truck driver that there has been a gas crisis, the other being after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Colonial owns two pipelines that run parallel to each other, one with gasoline and one carrying diesel and other non-gasoline products. Since the break in the first line, the company has begun to use the second line for gasoline until the problem is resolved.

The pipeline is scheduled to be in use today, and stations should begin to reopen shortly after.