Peoria evacuation remains in place after bomb is rendered safe

Residents within a mile of an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois, remained under an evacuation order early Saturday after authorities rendered a suspicious package safe but continued searching the sprawling facility for other possible devices.

Police found the package near the BioUrja plant at about 2 p.m. Friday and later determined it was a “credible threat,” according to CBS News. Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon said it was rendered safe at 9:12 p.m. The evacuation order stayed in place while investigators searched the property.

“The area of BioUrja has not been rendered safe, just the package that was on site,” Dixon said at a news conference, according to CBS News. “It’s a large facility, there’s going to be an exhaustive search.”

Dixon declined to say how many devices authorities might have found or where they were located, NBC News reported. He said anyone living within the one-mile radius “should absolutely evacuate the area.”

Mayor Rita Ali called the response “all hands on deck” in an interview with NBC affiliate WEEK. “A device has been identified. We know it’s a credible threat. We know it’s a bomb,” she said. In a separate interview with WMBD News, Ali said the plant contains ethanol and “highly combustible types of chemicals, and so that’s what alarms us.”

FBI Special Agent Ryan Presley said federal agents were working with Peoria police and firefighters, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office and Illinois State Police. He said investigators had determined the package was a threat and rendered it safe.

“We are currently investigating this incident with all of our partners,” Presley said, according to CBS News. “While it is early in the investigation, know this: we will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice.”

Peoria police directed people who needed shelter to Manual Academy, CBS News reported. Rep. Eric Sorensen, an Illinois Democrat, met with evacuees at the school Friday night, according to NBC News. He urged anyone within a mile of the plant to leave. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also told residents to follow law enforcement directions and stay clear of the area.

The safety response disrupted events elsewhere in Peoria. Country singer Jon Pardi canceled his Friday evening concert at the Peoria Civic Center, saying on Instagram that the decision came at the direction of the police chief and that tickets would be refunded. Dozer Park, home of the minor league Peoria Chiefs, canceled a holiday event, NBC News reported.

Nearby OSF HealthCare St. Francis Medical Center said it was taking precautions and would continue monitoring the situation to protect patients and staff, according to NBC News. Authorities had not announced when the facility search would be complete or the evacuation order lifted.