Illinois biofuel plant searched after bomb threat prompts evacuation
Authorities in Illinois and federal officials searched a Peoria biofuel plant after a credible explosive device threat led to a large-scale evacuation.
Key Takeaways
AIUS officials said state and federal authorities searched a biofuel plant in Peoria, Illinois, on Saturday for explosives after a device deemed a "credible threat" was found nearby, prompting an evacuation order for residents within a 1.6-kilometer radius.
Officials said the evacuation order was lifted on Saturday, nearly a full day after the device was discovered on Friday near the BioUrja ethanol plant in Peoria, a city of about 110,000 people located roughly 240 kilometers southwest of Chicago. Peoria police said bomb technicians were able to safely disable the device.
Police Chief Brad Dixon said law enforcement personnel completed their search of the sprawling facility, which covers an area equivalent to 44 and a half football fields, on Saturday afternoon.
A standard American football field is about 1.3 acres (0.5 hectares) in size.
Peoria Police Department said in a Facebook statement that nothing "concerning" was found and the evacuation order was lifted.
The plant’s owner, Houston-based BioUrja Group, has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The incident began on Friday when the plant notified police of a bomb threat. Dixon said on Saturday that he could not yet confirm whether the device was a bomb, as its composition was still being determined.