{
  "id": 14804108,
  "title": "Town's only unleaded service station cuts fuel supply over rising costs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/towns-only-unleaded-service-station-cuts-fuel-supply-over-rising-costs",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T22:11:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-16/fuel-supply-stopped-birchip-unleaded-diesel-shortage/107268688"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The sole unleaded fuel provider in the north-west Victorian town of Birchip, Sarathi Muthukrishnan, has ceased fuel sales due to rising costs. The town, with around 700 residents, has been without unleaded petrol for nearly a month, forcing them to travel up to 40 kilometers for fuel. The Birchip Motel and Caravan Park, previously the only supplier, discontinued its diesel offering as well. Mr. Muthukrishnan, who recently purchased the business, cited increasing fuel costs as the reason for halting fuel sales. He has ordered another shipment of unleaded petrol to address the immediate shortage, but expressed uncertainty about sustaining this practice in the future. The lack of fuel has impacted the ability of pensioner Maureen Donnellon, 79, to attend appointments, and the local Community Emergency Response Team, which runs on petrol, has also been affected. The town's Ambulance Victoria is investigating ways to mitigate any potential impact on emergency response due to the fuel shortage.",
  "summary": "The owner of the only unleaded fuel pumps in a regional Victorian town has left the town dry for almost a month, saying its fuel business is no longer lucrative.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}