A town on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula that suffered a series of damaging landslides may be facing another disaster of its own making.

The gas station in Daniel's Harbour closed because it was dangerously close to a landslide area. Residents are buying gasoline in bulk from elsewhere and stockpiling it on their property in sheds and basements.

Town Coun. Gary Shillington, who helps run the local fire department, said some people could be sitting on a powder keg.
 
"Our fire department wouldn't know if there was all kinds of fuel say in somebody's shed or basement. It could complicate things. It could be an accelerant. Obviously you're going to have problems, you know, let alone the explosion," Shillington said.

Shillington said if people must store gas, they should put it in a well-ventilated area to avoid a buildup of fumes.
 
The only real solution, he said, is to build a new gas station. But that won't happen until the new road through the community is finished.

Fisherman Alvin House has more than 400 litres of gasoline stored in his shed because he says he has to have gas on hand to use in his fishing boat.

"Right now starting out before you make any income, if you want to get gas, you got to go and you got to spend $400 or $500 … just to get gas to go out sealing," House said.