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

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Bomb technicians rendered the explosive device safe on Friday evening, but a one-mile safety zone remained enforced to protect neighbors from potential secondary risks. Peoria authorities, supported by state police and federal agents, are methodically sweeping the complex for evidence and any additional hazards. The operation has forced residents into emergency housing, cleared nearby roads, and caused the cancellation of a Jon Pardi concert scheduled near the facility.

Key points

  • The presence of ethanol and combustible chemicals along the river heightened safety conce…: The presence of ethanol and combustible chemicals along the river heightened safety concerns among local leaders.
  • Federal investigators from the FBI have joined the probe to identify those responsible fo…: Federal investigators from the FBI have joined the probe to identify those responsible for the plant threat.
  • Displaced residents received emergency shelter while law enforcement continued to sweep t…: Displaced residents received emergency shelter while law enforcement continued to sweep the facility with no injuries reported.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

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…

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