'We Know It's a Bomb': Thousands Evacuated as FBI Probes 'Credible Threat' at US Ethanol Plant

More than 5,000 residents and workers were evacuated from Peoria and neighbouring East Peoria, Illinois, on Friday, 13 November, after a device was found at BioUrja Renewables' ethanol plant and described by the mayor as a bomb.

The company notified police of a bomb threat at about 1.08pm. A suspicious package was reported around 2pm, prompting an investigation at the facility on Edmund Street.

'We know it's a credible threat. We know it's a bomb,' Peoria Mayor Rita Ali told reporters late Friday. She cautioned that authorities had not established whether additional explosive devices were present.

Bomb technicians later rendered the device safe, but police maintained evacuation restrictions while searching the wider facility.

Peoria Bomb Threat Forces Thousands to Evacuate

Authorities classified the suspicious package as a credible threat at approximately 6.45pm, according to Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon.

Police announced a precautionary one-mile evacuation zone shortly after 7pm, affecting homes, businesses and surrounding streets.

More than 5,000 people were evacuated, according to officials cited by CNN. Emergency shelters opened at Manual Academy high school in Peoria and EastSide Centre in East Peoria.

Bomb technicians rendered the device safe at approximately 9.15pm. However, officials said the large industrial facility still required an extensive search before the area could be declared secure.

'It's a large facility. There's going to be an exhaustive search on the facility. That has not been completed yet,' Dixon said.

Authorities continued examining the property to determine whether additional explosive devices were present. No further devices had been publicly confirmed in the early Saturday updates.

Dixon stressed that the incident was being treated differently from routine bomb threats, which frequently prove unfounded.

'We're not considering this a hoax,' he told reporters during an early Saturday briefing.

FBI Joins Peoria Bomb Threat Investigation as Police Search Plant

The FBI's Springfield office joined local authorities as investigators sought to establish who was responsible for the threat.

Ryan A. Presley, special agent in charge of the FBI's Springfield office, said federal investigators would work 'tirelessly' to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice.

Police had not announced any arrests, identified a suspect or established a motive as of early Saturday. No injuries had been reported.

The Peoria Fire Department, Peoria County Sheriff's Office and Illinois Secretary of State personnel also participated in the emergency response.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said he had directed state police to coordinate with local authorities and urged residents to follow evacuation instructions.

The incident also disrupted traffic, with several roads surrounding the ethanol plant closed. Although Interstate 74 reopened, restrictions remained around the facility during the early Saturday investigation.

The BioUrja Renewables facility, formerly operated by Archer Daniels Midland, was identified as the location of the incident. Authorities made no allegation of wrongdoing against the company.

Police Chief Dixon said the evacuation could continue into Saturday afternoon because investigators had not completed their examination of the property.

A further police briefing was expected around noon on Saturday, 14 November, Illinois time, as authorities worked to determine when residents could safely return.