Bomb found near Peoria ethanol plant in Illinois rendered safe, one-mile evacuation remains in place

A bomb was found near an ethanol plant in Peoria, in central Illinois. Authorities said on Saturday that the device has been rendered safe, but an evacuation notice around the industrial site remains in place as law enforcement officials investigate.

Authorities said the bomb was found on Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables facility in Peoria. Officials say the device has since been rendered safe.

As of Saturday morning, however, all residents within a 1-mile radius remained under an evacuation notice, as officials continued to scour the facility for any other bombs and evidence.

Shelters have been set up for those displaced by the threat, authorities said.

Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon told reporters just after midnight on Saturday that this is a credible threat, and that the blast radius needs to be taken seriously.

FBI Special Agent Ryan Pressley said his agency was investigating, but declined to provide further details. He said the agency will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice.

Authorities said no arrests have been made at this time and no injuries have been reported.

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali told WMBD-TV on Friday that BioUrja is a plant that has ethanol and highly combustible types of chemicals, and that is what alarms them.

Dixon said officials understand this is a disruptive process for residents and guests, and asked for the public's patience while they work to make the area safe.

It is not unusual for law enforcement to receive bomb threats and suspicious package calls, but they often do not result in a credible threat, even though such calls are taken seriously by officials who must assess and investigate the claims. Just earlier this week, hundreds of airline passengers in Europe had their flights diverted or given military escorts after a series of bomb threats that officials have since declared were malicious hoaxes.

Peoria, with a population of around 110,000, is located about 150 miles, or about 240 kilometers, southwest of Chicago.

The BioUrja plant is located along the Illinois River. The company acquired the ethanol plant in 2021.