Binghamton Gas Station Customers Get A Powdery Surprise

Some people who were fueling their vehicles at a Binghamton convenience store got a bit more than they bargained for when something triggered a fire suppression system.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Mirabito station at 98 Broad Avenue on the city's East Side.

Binghamton police and firefighters were sent to the store after a white powder sprayed over a few customers and vehicles at the fuel pumps.

A fire department official said the trouble appeared to have been caused by a faulty detector. He said a heat detector may have activated the fire suppression system which then dumped a dry chemical over the area around the pumps.

A Mirabito employee worked to clean up powder that had been discharged from a fire suppression system at the company's Broad Avenue store on July 28, 2026. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

There was no fire but the airborne powder - which is similar to baking soda - caused some lung irritation to those who were exposed to it.

Three people who reported difficulty breathing were evaluated at the scene. No one sought any medical treatment.

A spill response unit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation was sent to the store to confirm no hazardous chemicals were involved in the incident.

Fuel sales were suspended for a short time after the discharge while Mirabito workers washed away the powder on the ground. The store itself remained open.

An employee at the business didn't know what caused the system activation. A Mirabito corporate representative could not be reached for comment.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @bobjoseph.bsky.social on Bluesky or @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.