A bomb was discovered Friday at an ethanol plant in central Illinois, 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 area 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 Friday evening, 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. “That’s not the case here. What we found was a credible package that is considered a threat… We don’t consider this a hoax,” he said at a news conference Saturday morning.
Authorities determined an explosion radius of one mile and emergency responders evacuated more than 5,000 residents and workers as a precaution, authorities said.
“Although this is an early investigation, please know that we will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring him or her to justice,” said FBI Special Agent Ryan Pressley of the Springfield office.
The initial report was made to police shortly after 1 p.m. CT Friday. Dixon later said the aircraft had been “made safe” but the evacuation order was still in effect.
No arrests were made and no injuries were reported.
On Friday, police and other authorities spent hours scouring the large complex for evidence. “It’s a large facility. There’s going to be an exhaustive search of the facility. It’s not finished yet,” Dixon said.
Shelters were set up at Manual Academy High School in Peoria and the EastSide Center sports complex in East Peoria.
The Peoria Fire Department, Peoria County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois Secretary of State were also involved in the response.
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