Evacuation lifted after South Peoria bomb found

Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon lifted the evacuation order around 1 p.m. on Saturday following the discovery of a bomb at an ethanol plant in South Peoria, Illinois. The plant, identified as the BioUrja facility, is located within the one-mile blast radius that officials established earlier in the week.

Authorities issued the evacuation order shortly after 7 p.m. on Friday. Dixon stated that law enforcement teams found the device and rendered it safe during an extensive search of the facility. The police department confirmed that no other items of concern were found. Street barricades were removed, and all roads were opened to traffic and residents.

The facility covers an area equivalent to 44 and a half football fields. Dixon described the package as a credible threat but declined to specify the exact type of explosive. Mayor Rita Ali confirmed to reporters late Friday that the device was a bomb. An extensive criminal investigation remains open, though Dixon provided few details on the scope of that inquiry.

Representatives from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Peoria Fire Department participated in the news conference. Dixon noted that between 60 and 80 people sought shelter at Manual High School. East Peoria officials reported that no residents used the EastSide Centre as a shelter.

East Peoria’s government released a statement confirming that the one-mile evacuation zone was officially lifted as of 1 p.m. Residents were advised to return to their homes, and businesses were told to resume normal operations. The statement thanked the community for its patience and praised local staff for their dedication to public safety.

The police department thanked the community for its cooperation during the incident. Law enforcement agencies will continue their investigation into the cause of the bomb. Updates on the case will be provided as new information becomes available.