Montego Bay, St James, witnessed scenes of desperation and disorder on Thursday as a limited number of operational petrol stations faced overwhelming demand from residents and motorists. Many individuals, carrying containers, flocked to these stations in a bid to secure petrol or diesel, essential for maintaining daily activities. One resident highlighted the critical need for gasoline to power generators, which have become indispensable in their daily lives. ‘Without the gas, we don’t have any light and ting,’ she remarked. Tensions escalated at a Union Street gas station, where disputes nearly turned violent as people vied for their share of the scarce resource. ‘All machete people draw because a the gas thing,’ a witness recounted to Observer Online. By late afternoon, long queues persisted at locations like the Thrifty Gas Station in Rose Hall, as individuals waited patiently to fill their vehicles and containers.