A bomb was found at an ethanol plant in central Illinois on Friday, officials said, sparking an investigation involving the FBI and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people living nearby.
Police said the bomb was found at the BioUrja Renewables facility, an industrial estate in Peoria, a city of 110,000.
“We know it’s a credible threat. We know it’s a bomb,” Peoria Mayor Rita Ali said late Friday, adding that it was not known if there were other devices at the scene.
Bomb threats are not uncommon in the United States, but they usually turn out to be “illegitimate,” according to Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon. “This is not the case here. We found a credible package there deemed to be a threat… We’re not considering this a hoax,” he said in a news conference Saturday morning.
Authorities determined a one-mile blast radius, and emergency responders evacuated more than 5,000 residents and workers as a precaution, officials said.
“While it is early in the investigation, know this. We will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice,” said FBI Special Agent Ryan Pressley from the bureau’s Springfield office.
The initial report was made to police just after 1 p.m. CT Friday. Dixon later said the device was “rendered safe” but the evacuation order was still in effect.
No arrests have been made and no injuries have been reported.
Police and other authorities spent hours scouring the large complex for evidence on Friday. “It’s a large facility. There’s going to be an exhaustive search on the facility. That has not been completed yet,” said Dixon.
Shelters were set up at Manual Academy high school in Peoria and EastSide Centre sports complex in East Peoria.
Peoria Fire Department, Peoria County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois Secretary of State have also been involved in the response.
