Peoria Bomb Keeps a Mile Empty

Making one package safe is not an all-clear. Police were still telling people to stay out Saturday morning, and they had not named anyone.

Peoria police say BioUrja Renewables called at 1:08 p.m. Friday to report a bomb threat at its ethanol plant at 1 Edmund Street in South Peoria. By about 6:45 p.m. officers had decided a package at the plant was a credible threat and set a one-mile zone. The department urged anyone living or working inside that zone to leave. Mayor Rita Ali said the device was a bomb, and that police did not know whether others were still inside.

Bomb technicians rendered the package safe at about 9:12 p.m., according to police. Early Saturday, Chief Brad Dixon said the plant itself had not been cleared. He said the search would go on, and he would not say how many devices had been found or where. The evacuation was still in effect. About 70 people were at the shelter at Manual Academy on South Griswold Street. East Peoria opened a shelter at EastSide Centre.

Dixon said police were not treating the call as a hoax. FBI Special Agent Ryan Presley said the package had been rendered safe and that investigators would try to find who was responsible. Police had not announced an arrest. Gov. JB Pritzker said the Illinois State Police were working with local authorities and told people to stay clear of the area.