Workers at the BP Whiting Refinery expansion project found a shipment crate that contained two dead monkeys on Wednesday afternoon.

BP Whiting Refinery spokesman Brad Etlin said contractors told plant security about the dead animals they found in what was supposed to contain equipment.

The crate had been stored in a warehouse for some time before it was opened.

One of the workers said the crate came to northwest Indiana from overseas, so it should have been more closely inspected when it arrived in Whiting.

He told his bosses he was concerned about potential health risks from the dead monkeys.