Local
Peoria Bomb Threat Forces One-Mile Evacuation Around BioUrja Renewables Plant
Police ordered residents and workers within a mile of the BioUrja Renewables ethanol and alcohol plant in Peoria and East Peoria to evacuate after a suspicious package prompted a bomb threat investigation. Officials called the threat credible and opened a shelter at Manual Academy.
PEORIA, Ill. â Police issued a mandatory evacuation order covering a one-mile radius around the BioUrja Renewables ethanol and alcohol production plant in Peoria on Friday evening, after a bomb threat and a suspicious package at or near the facility prompted a large-scale emergency response.
The order applied to anyone who lives or works within one mile of the plant, including sections of neighboring East Peoria, and remained in effect until further notice. Residents and workers were directed to leave their homes and businesses while officers and emergency personnel searched the facility.
"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 statement posted to Facebook. "Officers are currently on scene conducting a thorough investigation and search of the facility to determine the credibility of the threat and ensure public safety."
A suspicious package at or near the BioUrja plant was what triggered the evacuation order, according to local reporting. Officials did not immediately describe the package or say what, if anything, was found during the search.
Those within the evacuation zone were told they could seek shelter at Manual Academy, at 811 S. Griswold St. in Peoria.
City and suburban leaders urged residents to take the warning seriously. "There has been a credible threat and the city is taking it seriously," East Peoria Mayor John Kahl said. Peoria Mayor Rita Ali echoed that message: "This must be treated as a credible threat. We are asking all people within the one-mile zone to evacuate."
The BioUrja Renewables facility produces ethanol and alcohol and sits in a heavily industrialized stretch of the Peoria area, where a major incident could affect residents on both sides of the river. The one-mile evacuation zone crossed municipal boundaries, drawing emergency responders from Peoria and East Peoria into a coordinated operation.
By early Saturday morning, authorities had not announced any arrests or confirmed whether the threat was genuine. The evacuation order remained in place as the investigation continued.
This is a developing story. Anyone in the affected area is urged to follow instructions from local authorities and to avoid the evacuation zone until officials give the all-clear.