Bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant forces mass evacuation

Summarised from 8 outlets · Updated 15 Nov, 01:20 · Archive

A bomb discovered at an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois on Friday prompted mandatory evacuations within a one-mile radius.

A suspicious package discovered at the BioUrja Renewables ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois on Friday afternoon prompted an urgent evacuation. The device was found near Southwest Washington Street in the city's south around 2 p.m. Police Chief Brad Dixon ruled it a credible threat approximately an hour later, and authorities issued an evacuation order at 7 p.m. for all residents and workers within a one-mile radius of the facility.

Mayor Rita Ali confirmed the discovery posed a genuine threat to public safety. 'It is real. This is a real thing. We know that it is a real threat. We know it is a bomb,' she said. She characterised the situation as 'a real crisis situation right now' and urged residents to treat the evacuation as an emergency.

Bomb technicians rendered the package safe at 9:12 p.m. on Friday. However, Dixon cautioned that the initial device was only part of the concern. '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,' he said. Mayor Ali added, 'We don't know if there are other devices.'

Congress member Eric Sorensen warned residents that authorities could not guarantee the safety of Peoria, suggesting multiple devices may have been located. 'You need to stay safe because we cannot guarantee the safety of the city of Peoria,' he said. State Senator David Koehler urged people to leave the area, calling the situation 'very serious' and 'not a hoax'.

As a precautionary measure, all bridges over the Illinois River were closed, the river itself was shut down to traffic, and Interstate 74 was blocked in both directions through the city. Emergency services evacuated people within the one-mile radius, with shelters opened at Manual Academy and the EastSide Centre for displaced residents.

The FBI deployed personnel to Peoria alongside local, state and federal agencies including the Illinois State Police, the ATF and the Department of Homeland Security. FBI Special Agent Ryan Presley said investigators would 'work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice', though he did not identify any suspects or motive.

Mayor Ali explained that concern over the facility was heightened because it contains ethanol and 'highly combustible types of chemicals'. As of Saturday morning, the evacuation notice remained in effect whilst searches for additional threats continued throughout the expansive facility. No arrests or injuries have been reported.

How it is being reported

• Bomb found near ethanol plant in central Illinois forces evacuationsThe bomb was discovered Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables plant in Peoria. Officials say the bomb has been "rendered safe," but called it a "credible threat." The FBI is investigating.NPR · 14 Nov, 20:12
• Mass evacuations after bomb found at Illinois ethanol plantOfficials are continuing to search the facility for any other bombs and evidenceIndependent World · 14 Nov, 15:07
• Bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant, prompting evacuationsPeoria officials said a bomb was found at BioUrja Renewables and later defused; FBI said it is investigating Residents were ordered to evacuate parts of an Illinois community on Friday after the mayor there said authorities found a bomb at a local ethanol- and alcohol-production plant. The discovery reported at BioUrja Renewables in Peoria triggered a mandatory evacuation over a one-mile evacuation zone encompassing sections of that city as well as the adjacent municipality of East Peoria. Continue reading...Guardian World · 14 Nov, 14:13
• Bomb found at industrial plant in Peoria, Illinois; rendered safePolice said the device had been rendered safe but are still searching the industrial area.CBS News · 14 Nov, 12:52
• Active bomb forces urgent evacuation of US city as officials says 'we cannot guarantee safety'An active bomb has been discovered at an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois. The discovery prompted an emergency evacuation across a one-mile radius of the BioUrja Renewables plant on Southwest Washington Street in the city's south. Peoria Mayor Rita Ali confirmed the suspicious package posed a real threat. She said: "It is real. This is a real thing. We know that it is a real threat. We know it is a bomb." TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The discovery sparked widespread alarm, with Ms Ali addressing residents from Manual High School, situated beyond the evacuation perimeter. She said: "This…GB News · 14 Nov, 09:59
• Bomb threat at Illinois ethanol plant forces mandatory mile-wide evacuation orderA bomb threat at an ethanol plant prompted a large-scale evacuation for an entire Illinois city Friday night as officials worked to defuse the credible threat.New York Post · 14 Nov, 09:15
• Bomb found in US city sparks mass evacuation as mayor confirms 'credible threat'A bomb has been found at a ethanol production facility in Peoria, Illinois, with mass evacuations underway as the local mayor says there may be more devicesThe Mirror · 14 Nov, 07:33
• Panic as active bomb forces urgent evacuation of Illinois city while official says 'we cannot guarantee safety'The city police and fire departments, along with the Illinois State Police and the East Peoria Police Department, are on the scene.Daily Mail · 14 Nov, 06:26

In this story: Peoria · Illinois · BioUrja Renewables · Rita Ali · Brad Dixon · Eric Sorensen · FBI · Ryan Presley

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log