Feds Declare Emergency in 4 States After Oil Refinery Fire in Indiana

Declarations in response to 'unanticipated shutdown' of BP Whiting refinery

The BP refinery in Whiting, Ind., on Jan. 8, 2019. Scott Olson/Getty Images

The federal government on Aug. 26 declared a regional emergency affecting Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, following an “unanticipated shutdown” of an oil refinery in Indiana due to a fire.

The fire on Aug. 24 knocked out the electrical power and cooling water systems at BP Whiting in Indiana, causing it to shut down and undergo assessment, Reuters previously reported.