Bomb Found at Peoria, Illinois Ethanol Plant Is Rendered Safe as Authorities Search Facility

Authorities in Peoria, Illinois, said a suspicious package found near an industrial ethanol plant on Friday was determined to be a credible threat, forcing the immediate evacuation of all residents within a one-mile radius before the device was rendered safe hours later.

Peoria police said the package was discovered near a BioUrja ethanol plant at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday. Hours later, investigators concluded it posed a genuine danger. Police Chief Brad Dixon said early Saturday that "notifications were sent out with an evacuation order in the one-mile blast radius" from the BioUrja facility.

Dixon said the package was "rendered safe" at 9:12 p.m., but he cautioned that the work was far from over. Searches for other possible devices continued throughout the wider area around the plant.

"The area of BioUrja has not been rendered safe, just the package that was on site. It's a large facility, there's going to be an exhaustive search," Dixon said at a press conference.

Multiple agencies joined the response. FBI Special Agent Ryan Presley told reporters his office deployed personnel to work alongside the Peoria Police Department, the Peoria Fire Department, the Peoria County Sheriff's Department, the Illinois Secretary of State's Office and the Illinois State Police.

"We are currently investigating this incident with all of our partners. While it is early in the investigation, know this: we will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice," Presley said.

Gov. Pritzker addressed the situation on social media, writing, "I am actively monitoring the bomb threat in Peoria, and I have directed the Illinois State Police to coordinate with local authorities."

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, speaking in an interview with WMBD News late Friday, underscored why the location of the device raised particular concern. She described the site as "a plant that has ethanol and highly combustible types of chemicals, and so that's what alarms us."

The threat also disrupted local events. Country music singer Jon Pardi canceled a scheduled concert because it was in the affected area, telling fans, "Peoria we're disappointed we won't get to spend tonight with you.." In a post on Facebook, the Peoria Police Department advised anyone needing shelter to go to the nearby Manual Academy.

Peoria sits in central Illinois, about 75 miles north of Springfield and 150 miles southwest of Chicago. The BioUrja plant is located along the Illinois River in the southern part of the city.