Residents evacuated after bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant; FBI joins probe

NewsWorld NewsUS NewsResidents evacuated after bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant; FBI joins probe Residents evacuated after bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant; FBI joins probe Edited by Prisha Patnaik / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 14, 2026, 21:49 IST Residents living near an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois, were ordered to evacuate after authorities discovered a bomb at the industrial facility, with police describing the threat as credible and warning of the potential blast radius.The device was found on Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables plant.

Bomb technicians rendered it safe later that evening, at around 9.12 pm local time, but the evacuation order remained in force on Saturday as law enforcement teams searched the site for other possible devices and evidence.Police established a one-mile evacuation zone around the facility, urging residents and businesses within the area to leave and asking the public to stay away.

Shelters were set up for people displaced by the threat, while several roads near the plant were closed.“This is a credible threat,” Peoria police chief Brad Dixon told reporters shortly after midnight on Saturday. “We need to take the blast radius seriously.”Dixon said authorities were not treating the incident as a hoax, adding that the search of the large facility was expected to continue through Saturday.The FBI has joined the investigation.

Special Agent Ryan Pressley said the agency was working to identify whoever was responsible and bring them to justice, but declined to share further details. No arrests had been made and no injuries were reported.Plant's combustible materials raise concern The discovery has heightened concern because the BioUrja facility produces ethanol and handles highly combustible chemicals.Join conversation Peoria Mayor Rita Ali told local broadcaster WMBD-TV that the nature of the plant's operations was a particular cause for alarm.The facility is located along the Illinois River.

BioUrja acquired the ethanol plant in 2021.Illinois governor JB Pritzker said he was monitoring the situation and had directed state police to coordinate with local authorities. He urged residents to follow evacuation instructions and avoid the area.The threat also disrupted a scheduled concert by country music singer Jon Pardi in Peoria.

The event was cancelled on Friday because of its proximity to the plant. Pardi said the decision had been taken by the police chief and that the safety of fans, crew and the community was the priority.Dixon acknowledged the disruption caused by the evacuation and appealed to residents to cooperate with emergency services while officers worked to secure the area.

You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test. Prisha Patnaik is a journalist with The Times of India, writing across geopolitics, international affairs, culture, history and internet culture. With over two years of experience in social media and digital content, she is interested in how news, politics and culture are shaped for digital audiences.

She holds a master’s degree in Media and Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London. Four Vessels Hit In Hormuz! Iran Tightens Grip As US Struggles To Protect Shipping US Military Secrets In IRGC’s Hands! Iran Builds New Weapons Using Captured American Tech Hakeem Jeffries' Denver HUMILIATION Caught On Camera: Hecklers REFUSE To Let Democratic Leader SPEAK NATO To Pay For Ukraine's Peace?

Putin Demands US Military Bloc Rollback To 1997 Borders | Details Trump’s Shock NVIDIA Pick! Apple’s Tim Cook To Replace Jensen Huang As CEO? | Watch Trump’s Hollywood Message Triggers Backlash As Passengers Face Nationwide Flight Disruptions US Military Bases Rocked By Drone Scare; Sirens Blare At Lakenheath, Mildenhall & Feltwell Sites Lindsay Clancy Case: Priest Opens Up About The Shocking Text He Received That Night Nukes, Iran & More; Trump To Meet Putin & Xi In One Room For High-Stakes 'Nuclear Summit' | Details