Bomb Found at Peoria Ethanol Plant Forces Evacuation of Downtown Peoria and East Peoria as I-74 Shuts Down

PEORIA, Ill. — Authorities kept a mandatory evacuation order in place early Saturday for large parts of downtown Peoria and neighbouring East Peoria after Mayor Rita Ali said an explosive device was found at an ethanol and alcohol plant on the city's riverfront.

The threat at the BioUrja Renewables plant forced residents and workers within a one-mile radius to leave their homes and businesses Friday night. It closed a key interstate and emptied part of the central Illinois city's downtown.

"A device has been identified. We know it's a credible threat. We know it's a bomb. We don't know whether there are other devices," Ali told reporters at about 11 p.m. Friday.

Officials have not said who may have placed the device, whether anyone was targeted, or whether there have been any arrests. No injuries have been reported.

Suspicious package triggers evacuation

The emergency began Friday afternoon, when a suspicious package was found at or near the BioUrja plant, according to CBS affiliate WMBD-TV.

The plant, at 1 Edmund St. in South Peoria, is the former Archer Daniels Midland ethanol plant. It sits about 1 1/2 miles from downtown Peoria. BioUrja produces beverage-grade and industrial alcohol there.

Peoria police first issued an evacuation recommendation and later described the incident as a bomb threat at the plant.

"The evacuation recommendation is being issued out of an abundance of caution while officers and emergency personnel investigate the threat," Peoria police said in a Facebook post Friday. Officers were "conducting a thorough investigation and search of the facility to determine the credibility of the threat and ensure public safety," the department said.

As the evening went on, the order was expanded to a mandatory evacuation covering everyone who lives or works within one mile of the plant. That included plant workers, parts of downtown Peoria and the Levee District in East Peoria, across the Illinois River.

'A credible threat'

Leaders of both cities urged residents to take the danger seriously.

"This must be treated as a credible threat. We are asking all people within the one-mile zone to evacuate," Ali said.

East Peoria Mayor John Kahl said: "There has been a credible threat and the city is taking it seriously."

Fire departments from both cities worked with Illinois State Police, sheriff's deputies and Peoria and East Peoria police officers to move residents out of the area safely. Gov. JB Pritzker directed Illinois State Police to assist in the investigation, according to WMBD Radio.

Police expanded the perimeter around the plant through the evening and set up a command post on MacArthur Highway.

Interstate closed, events cancelled

The evacuation snarled traffic and disrupted Friday night activities across the area.

Interstate 74 was closed in both directions through Peoria. "Please stay away from downtown Peoria and the riverfront area of East Peoria," Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said on Facebook, advising drivers to use Interstate 474 to bypass the city.

Police confirmed that the Peoria Civic Center was evacuated Friday night, and several downtown events and businesses were affected. Downtown Peoria's largest employer, OSF HealthCare, told employees not to report for the third shift because of guidance from local officials, according to 25News Now.

North of the evacuation zone, much of downtown Peoria appeared to carry on with business as usual Friday evening, WMBD reported.

Shelters open

Officials opened emergency shelters for evacuated residents. Peoria residents can go to Manual Academy, at 811 S. Griswold St., where the American Red Cross is providing support. East Peoria residents can shelter at the EastSide Centre.

Order remains overnight

The city of East Peoria said late Friday that the threat was ongoing and that all evacuations would remain in place overnight. "The BioUrja bomb threat in Peoria, Illinois is an ongoing threat," the city said, adding that another update would come "no later than 0900."

Investigators were searching the area for any additional explosive devices, 25News Now reported.

Plant's past

The BioUrja facility has been the site of an emergency before. In May 2022, an explosion destroyed a set of grain silos at the plant, injuring two people. That blast was not linked to any criminal act.

BioUrja took over the plant from ADM after nearly 40 years of ADM operation there. It produces medical-grade, beverage-grade and fuel-grade ethanol.

Large quantities of ethanol and other flammable materials are typically stored at such facilities, a reason officials ordered a broad one-mile evacuation zone.

What residents should know

Officials urged residents to:

• Stay out of the evacuation zone until authorities lift the order.
• Avoid downtown Peoria and the East Peoria riverfront, and use Interstate 474 to get around the closed section of Interstate 74.
• Follow official channels for updates, including the city of Peoria, the city of East Peoria and the Peoria Police Department.
• Report suspicious activity to police.

Peoria, a city of about 110,000 people along the Illinois River, is about 165 miles (265 kilometres) southwest of Chicago.

Officials said more information would be released Saturday morning.