A bomb found Friday at an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois, forced thousands of people from their homes and businesses overnight. Officials said the device was made safe Friday night, but a one-mile evacuation zone around the plant stayed in place Saturday while bomb teams searched the large site for anything else. No injuries or arrests had been reported.
What happened
According to the Peoria Police Department’s timeline, reported by WMBD and the Peoria Standard, BioUrja Renewables told police about a bomb threat at about 1:08 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Around 2 p.m., a suspicious package was located at the plant, formerly owned by ADM, at 1 Edmund Street along the Illinois River on the city’s south side. By about 6:45 p.m. authorities had decided it was a credible threat and set a one-mile blast radius. Evacuation alerts went out shortly after 7 p.m., covering parts of Peoria and neighboring East Peoria.
The device was rendered safe at about 9:12 p.m., Police Chief Brad Dixon said. At a briefing just after midnight, he stressed that only the package had been cleared, not the plant itself, and that an “exhaustive search” for other possible devices was still underway. “This is a credible threat,” Dixon told reporters, according to the Associated Press. He noted that most bomb threats turn out not to be real, but said this one was different.
Peoria Mayor Rita Ali told WEEK 25 News Now, “We know it’s a bomb,” adding that officials did not yet know whether there were other devices, Patch reported. Ali told WMBD the plant’s ethanol and other flammable chemicals were what worried city leaders most. Fuel ethanol is highly flammable, and BioUrja’s site produces fuel ethanol and distilled spirits.
CNN reported that more than 5,000 residents and workers were evacuated. About 70 to 75 people spent the night at the shelter at Manual Academy high school, where the American Red Cross provided beds. East Peoria sent evacuees to the EastSide Centre.
Who is investigating
The FBI’s Springfield office is working with Peoria police and fire crews, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. Ryan Presley, the FBI special agent in charge, said, “We will work to identify the individual responsible,” WMBD reported. Gov. JB Pritzker said he directed state police to coordinate with local agencies, and U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood urged residents to follow police instructions. Officials have not said who might be behind the threat or why the plant was targeted.
Effects around town
- Interstate 74 through Peoria was closed for a time Friday night and has reopened, but many roads near the plant remained closed.
- A Jon Pardi concert at the Peoria Civic Center was canceled Friday. The building sits just outside the zone, but its parking lots are inside it.
- The Peoria Chiefs’ holiday light show at Dozer Park was shut down after about 45 minutes.
- Organizers of Saturday events at the Civic Center, including Illinois Comic Con, were waiting on guidance from police.
Peoria, a city of about 110,000 people, sits roughly 150 miles southwest of Chicago. The incident came during an already unsettling stretch of news, following the nationwide FAA ground stop on Friday afternoon. There is no indication the two events are connected.
Why it matters for families
An evacuation like this can happen with little warning. Families can prepare by keeping a small “go bag” with medicine, phone chargers, important papers and snacks, and by signing up for local emergency alerts. Police in Peoria asked anyone who could not leave on their own to call them for help, a reminder to check on older neighbors and people with disabilities. Children who see the news may feel scared; it can help to tell them that police and firefighters train for situations like this and that the people in the area were moved to safety.
What to watch next
As of ABC7 Chicago’s latest report Saturday, published before 2:30 p.m. ET, the evacuation order was still in effect and the search of the plant was not complete. Dixon held a news conference Saturday morning and said police were not treating the incident as a hoax: “We’re not considering this a hoax.” U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen said another update was expected in the early afternoon. Dixon had said evacuations would likely last into the afternoon. Key questions are when residents can go home, whether any other devices were found, and whether investigators identify a suspect. Anyone needing help can call Peoria police at 309-673-4527. This is a developing story, and Upstormed News will follow it. For more, see our recent Illinois news and FBI investigations coverage.
Read more: All Accounted For After Tanker Hits Cruise Boat on Mississippi in New Orleans
Does your family have an emergency go bag ready? Share your tips in the comments.
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times (AP), “Bomb found near ethanol plant in Peoria forces evacuations as authorities investigate” (November 14, 2026); CBS News, “Bomb found at industrial plant in Peoria, Illinois; rendered safe by police” (November 14, 2026); Patch, “Bomb Found At IL Ethanol Plant Forces Evacuations: Reports” (November 14, 2026); WMBD, “Peoria Police: Explosive device rendered safe at BioUrja, evacuations to continue Saturday” (November 14, 2026); ABC7 Chicago, “Bomb found at ethanol plant in Peoria, forcing evacuations: ‘We know it’s a bomb’” (November 14, 2026); Peoria Standard, “Explosive device at Peoria’s BioUrja plant rendered safe, police chief says; one-mile evacuation in Peoria and East Peoria remains in effect” (November 14, 2026)
Leave a Reply