Authorities in Peoria, Illinois, are still searching for whoever placed a credible bomb threat at the BioUrja Renewables ethanol plant on Friday, November 13, a discovery that forced the evacuation of more than 5,000 people and drew in the FBI and Homeland Security.
As of Saturday morning, November 14, police had made no arrests and publicly identified no suspects. The FBI’s Springfield office said only that it would “work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice.”
Police Chief Brad Dixon confirmed the package found at the plant was a real bomb, not a hoax, and that it was later “rendered safe.”
He cautioned, however, that investigators had not ruled out the possibility of other devices, and that an exhaustive search of the large facility was still underway.
The initial report came in just after 1:00 p.m. CT Friday. The FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, Illinois State Police, Peoria County Sheriff’s Department and local fire crews are all involved. A one-mile blast radius was established, bridges over the Illinois River were shut down, and the river itself was closed.
No motive has been disclosed so far. But officials noted that BioUrja Renewables distils ethanol and other highly flammable materials, making it a potentially high-impact target.
The plant, formerly owned by ADM, was the site of a 2022 silo explosion that injured two people.
The evacuation order remained in effect early Saturday, November 14, with officials promising an update by 9:00 a.m. Investigators are scouring the complex for evidence. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI or Peoria police.
