One state policing sale of gas for 2 faulty cars

The Massachusetts fire marshal's office ordered local fire chiefs to enforce a statewide ban on the sale of gasoline to motorists driving 1981 Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx cars because of possible defects in some of the vehicles' fuel inlets. The ban won't affect drivers who can show their cars have been repaired.

In July Ford Motor Company recalled 125,000 cars to fix the defect, which is blamed for three fires that occurred while cars were being refueled, a Ford spokesman said. Some of the cars were not fitted with a ground wire connecting the filler pipe inlet. Others had an electromagnetic suppressor rod inside the filler pipe which was too short.