BP Refinery in Whiting, Indiana Evacuated and Shuts Down Amid Power Outage

A power outage at the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana prompted an evacuation, with hundreds of employees being sent to nearby locations as a precaution. The outage caused additional product to be burned, resulting in flaring of the stacks, but the evacuation order was lifted later in the day. The refinery, which is the largest in the Midwest, is expected to take a week or longer to fully restore operations, potentially impacting gas prices. Despite concerns about air quality, BP officials reported no danger to the public and expect power to be restored by Thursday night.