Authorities lifted a one-mile mandatory evacuation order in Peoria and East Peoria on Saturday afternoon, roughly 24 hours after discovery of an explosive device at a local industrial facility triggered a major emergency response and shut down regional transit routes.
Police Neutralize Plant Explosive
The incident began when BioUrja Renewables notified Peoria Police about a bomb threat at 1:08 p.m. on Friday at its ethanol and alcohol production plant located at 1 Edmund Street. Officers found a suspicious package at the facility about an hour later.
I am actively monitoring the bomb threat in Peoria, and I have directed the Illinois State Police to coordinate with local authorities. Please follow directions from law enforcement and stay clear of the area. https://t.co/MN399auXtY
By 6:45 p.m. on Friday, law enforcement determined the package represented a credible threat and established a one-mile blast radius surrounding the industrial complex. Bomb technicians rendered the package safe at 9:12 p.m. local time.
Police kept the evacuation orders in place while emergency personnel searched the industrial complex to rule out additional threats. Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon said shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday that bomb teams found no new explosives, allowing authorities to lift the evacuation order, reopen closed roads, and remove street barricades.
“It's a large facility. There's going to be an exhaustive search on the facility. That has not been completed yet,” Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon said.
Evacuations Disrupt Regional Transit
The mandatory evacuation zone extended across the Illinois River, encompassing sections of downtown Peoria, the Warehouse District, and adjacent East Peoria. Officials estimate that more than 5,000 residents and workers were displaced by the emergency directive.
Emergency shelters opened at Manual Academy High School in Peoria and the EastSide Centre sports complex in East Peoria. City officials said the shelter at Manual High School housed about 60 to 80 displaced people overnight, while no evacuees sought shelter at EastSide Centre.
The security measures caused widespread cancellations and travel halts throughout the area. Transportation authorities shut down bridges across the Illinois River, while County Sheriff Chris Watkins said that Interstate 74 was closed in both directions through Peoria, with drivers directed to use Interstate 474 as a bypass. Nearby industrial employers, including Caterpillar, told workers on the third shift not to report to work on Friday night.
Entertainment and community gatherings scheduled for Saturday in downtown Peoria were postponed or canceled. The Peoria Civic Center paused all event operations because its parking lots fell within the affected evacuation zone, resulting in the postponement of a hockey game, the Illinois Comic Con, and the CASAblanca dancing fundraiser. Country music singer Jon Pardi also canceled his scheduled concert in Peoria due to the active safety concern.
Officials Investigate Plant Threat
Nationally when a bomb threat comes in, typically it’s not legitimate and it wouldn’t cause an evacuation of a building or something like that. This is not the case here. We found a credible package there deemed to be a threat… We’re not considering this a hoax.
Chief Brad Dixon, Peoria Police Department
“We know it's a credible threat. We know it's a bomb,” Peoria Mayor Rita Ali said late Friday.
It is real – this is a real thing. We know that is a real threat. We know it is a bomb.
Mayor Rita Ali
State and federal agencies joined local police and the Peoria Fire Department in the multi-agency response, including the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Secretary of State, the ATF, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Ryan Presley, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Springfield field office, addressed the active criminal investigation during a press conference on Saturday morning alongside local officials.
While it is early in the investigation, know this. We will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice.
Ryan Presley, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Authorities confirmed that the criminal investigation is ongoing, and no arrests had been made and no injuries had been reported as of Saturday afternoon. Who placed the device at the plant remains unknown.
