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'Deadly consequences' | Don't put gas in plastic bags, officials warn

Photos on social media show long lines with people filling up cars, portable gas containers -- and plastic bags.

ATLANTA — Gas has become a premium over the past few days after pipeline shutdown sent drivers into a frenzy to fill up their tanks. 

Colonial Pipeline has restarted it's operations, but some areas could still experience interruptions during the start-up period. 

Photos on social media show long lines with people filling up cars, portable gas containers -- and plastic bags.

One video on social media with millions of views, which 11Alive has not independently verified, shows a woman at a gas pump carrying a plastic bag with what looks like gasoline.

Now, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner has come out and said don't do it. 

"We know this sounds simple, but when people get desperate they stop thinking clearly. They take risks that can have deadly consequences. If you know someone who is thinking about bringing a container not meant for fuel to get gas, please let them know it's dangerous," they wrote on social media. 

The Colonial Pipeline, whose operator is based right here in Alpharetta, Georgia, is one of the nation's largest sources of fuel and and was impacted by a cyberattack. 

It runs from Texas to New Jersey, carrying more than 100 million barrels of fuel every day. That's everything from gasoline to heating oil and jet fuel that supplies Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. It's responsible for almost half of the entire East Coast's fuel supply. 

If you spot a fuel line or a gas station running short of fuel, snap a photo and send it to 11Alive. You can upload the image using the Near Me function on the 11Alive mobile app, or by texting 404-885-7600.

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