Undefeated Plant and Refinery Accident Lawyers
A dangerous power outage at an ExxonMobil refinery in Joliet, Illinois, triggered the facility’s safety flare system and forced the refinery into a full shutdown Sunday afternoon, September 13, 2026.
ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery Shutdown After Power Outage
The incident began at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 13th, sending a large plume of smoke into the sky and prompting an emergency response as officials monitored conditions in and around the facility. According to ExxonMobil, power was restored at approximately 7:00 p.m., but the refinery remained shut down while the company assessed the facility.
At this time, investigators have not identified the cause of the power failure or determined whether equipment failure or another factor contributed to the incident.
Refinery Fires, Flaring, and Smoke Are Dangerous — What Residents Should Know
When a refinery experiences a power failure or other major operational upset, emergency systems are designed to prevent a more serious incident. But with enormous quantities of highly flammable and potentially hazardous materials being processed and stored on site, a failure involving power, equipment, safety systems, or operating procedures can quickly put workers and nearby communities in danger.
Even flaring —an important safety mechanism designed to safely burn off gases during certain refinery upsets — can produce intense flames, extreme heat, smoke, and combustion products.
A refinery fire or uncontrolled release can create additional dangers, including:
- Burn injuries and thermal exposure: Fires and explosions can expose refinery workers to extreme heat and flames, causing severe burns and other catastrophic injuries.
- Smoke inhalation: Smoke from petroleum products and industrial fires can contain hazardous particulates and other combustion byproducts that can irritate the eyes and respiratory system.
- Toxic chemical exposure: Refinery operations involve numerous hazardous substances. Depending on the material released and the circumstances of an incident, workers and nearby residents may face exposure to dangerous chemicals.
- Explosions and secondary fires: Petroleum products and gases can ignite rapidly, creating the potential for flash fires, explosions, and cascading equipment failures.
- Emergency shutdown hazards: A sudden loss of power or forced shutdown can create dangerous conditions for workers who must secure equipment, isolate systems, and respond to changing pressure, temperature, and chemical conditions.
- Risks to surrounding communities: Smoke, airborne contaminants, odors, and other releases can extend beyond the refinery’s property, making air monitoring and timely public warnings critical during a major industrial incident.
The specific risks associated with Sunday’s incident will depend on what occurred inside the refinery, what materials were involved, and whether any hazardous substances were released. Those facts remain under investigation.
However, in our experience successfully representing thousands of industrial workers after some of the worst petrochemical and oilfield disasters in history, we’ve found that most refinery accidents are entirely preventable — often the result of companies prioritizing profits over safety.
About ExxonMobil Joliet
The ExxonMobil Joliet refinery is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago near Interstate 55 and the Des Plaines River. The refinery was built in 1972 and was specifically designed to process Canadian crude oil delivered by pipeline.
Today, the facility is equipped to process approximately 275,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing about 11 million gallons of gasoline and diesel every day. Its products are distributed primarily throughout the Midwest, making the Joliet refinery an important source of fuel for the region.
A prolonged refinery shutdown doesn’t just impact workers, but also fuel production and supply throughout the Midwest at a time when global fuel markets are already under significant pressure.
ExxonMobil’s History of Serious Refinery and Plant Accidents
Sunday’s incident is not the first serious industrial accident involving ExxonMobil facilities.
Over the years, ExxonMobil refineries and chemical plants have experienced fires, explosions, chemical releases, and other serious incidents that have injured workers.
Among the company’s recent major incidents are:
- Four workers injured in a Baton Rouge Refinery Explosion in 2016, including one who suffered severe burns and another who was thrown from scaffolding.
- Over 40 workers injured in a mass casualty explosoin at an ExxonMobil Olefins Plant in Baytown, Texas
- Four workers injured in an explosion and fire at Exxonmobil Baytown in Texas two days before Christmas 2021
Zehl & Associates has successfully represented several ExxonMobil plant workers in serious industrial accidents, helping injured workers obtain access to the medical care and full financial resources they need after catastrophic workplace injuries.
Undefeated Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers: 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consul
Our undefeated Plant & Refinery Explosion Lawyers are continuing to monitor reports about the incident at the ExxonMobil Joliet refinery.
When workers or community members are harmed by explosions, fires, chemical releases, or other industrial accidents, determining what happened requires a thorough investigation of the facility, equipment, safety systems, work procedures, and company practices.
With Billions Won, Zehl & Associates has the resources and experience to stand up to the world’s largest petrochemical corporations. Our results include the #1 Largest Burn Injury Settlement in History and a $100 Million Plant Explosion Settlement for refinery workers. We are currently representing residents and contractors following a fatal Pemex chemical release in Houston, with our Undefeated Chemical Plant Injury Lawyers filing a lawsuit on behalf of individuals who developed symptoms associated with hydrogen sulfide exposure.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a refinery fire, chemical release, or other industrial accident, Zehl & Associates is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us page.