Bomb found at Peoria ethanol plant; evacuation lifted as ATF and FBI investigate

A bomb found at an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois, forced people out of their homes on Friday night and kept a big part of the city on edge until Saturday afternoon. Bomb technicians made the device safe, searchers found nothing else, and the evacuation order has been lifted. Now the ATF and the FBI are trying to find out who put it there.

Nobody was reported hurt. Here's what happened, step by step, and what we know and don't know so far.

What happened

On Friday evening, November 13, police in Peoria determined that a package at the BioUrja Renewables ethanol plant in South Peoria was a real threat, according to ABC News and local station WEEK 25 News. The plant sits near the Illinois River and is the former ADM plant, according to ABC7 Chicago.

"We found a credible package that we deem to be a threat," Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon said, according to ABC News. "We're not considering this a hoax."

Officials ordered everyone within a one-mile blast radius to leave. Officers went door to door to warn people. East Peoria, across the river, ordered its own one-mile evacuation zone. A country concert in Peoria that night was canceled.

At about 10:12 p.m. Eastern (9:12 p.m. local time), bomb technicians rendered the package safe, ABC News reported. Later that night, Peoria Mayor Rita Ali confirmed to reporters that the device was a bomb, according to WEEK 25 News. Police haven't said what kind of device it was, citing the criminal investigation.

Why it took so long

Making one device safe wasn't the end of it. Officials had to make sure there wasn't a second one, and the plant is huge. Dixon said it covers an area about the size of 44 and a half football fields. Bomb teams searched it overnight and into Saturday.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Eastern Saturday (1 p.m. local), Dixon announced that the search had found no other explosives. "The evacuation order will no longer be in effect," he said. East Peoria lifted its zone at the same time. Barricades came down and all roads reopened, WEEK 25 News reported.

Police also pushed back on rumors online, saying there was no confirmed evidence of more than one device.

The people who had to leave

About 60 to 80 people went to the shelter set up at Manual High School, Dixon said. The Red Cross brought in beds for people who stayed overnight. A second shelter in East Peoria, at the EastSide Centre, wasn't needed; nobody went there.

Most people who left likely stayed with family or friends. A night out of your home with no warning is hard, especially for older people, families with kids, and anyone who had to leave pets or medicine behind. It's a good reason to keep a small "go bag" ready, more on that below.

Who's investigating

The ATF and the FBI are leading what a law enforcement source told ABC News is a criminal investigation. Dixon called it "active" and "open."

• Chris Amon of the ATF's Chicago Field Division said the agency is committed to finding those responsible.
• Ryan Presley, special agent in charge of the FBI's Springfield office, said the FBI brought in bomb technicians and intelligence resources.
• Gov. JB Pritzker directed the Illinois State Police to work with local authorities.
• The Peoria Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard also helped.

No suspect has been named and no one has been charged, as of Saturday afternoon. Police haven't said whether the plant was targeted for a reason or how the package got there. "Law enforcement will continue their investigation into this incident and updates will be provided," the Peoria Police Department said.

Why a plant like this matters

Ethanol is the alcohol fuel blended into almost all gasoline sold in the U.S., and Illinois is one of the country's big producers, made from corn grown in the Midwest. Ethanol plants store large amounts of flammable fuel and chemicals. That's why officials took a single package so seriously and cleared a whole mile around it. It's also why plants like this are watched closely by federal agencies.

So far there's no word on whether the plant's production was affected or for how long.

What it means for you

For drivers, one plant being shut for a day isn't likely to move gas prices; the U.S. has many ethanol plants. The bigger lesson is closer to home.

If you ever get an evacuation order, take it seriously and go. Officers knocked on doors here because minutes can matter. A simple go bag makes it much easier: a phone charger, medicines for a few days, copies of ID and insurance papers, some cash, water and snacks, and whatever your pets need. Know two ways out of your neighborhood, and agree with your family on a place to meet.

And if you see a package or anything that looks out of place at a plant, a school or a public building, don't touch it. Move away and call 911.

What to watch next

• Whether the ATF and FBI identify a suspect.
• What kind of device it was, once officials can say.
• When the plant goes back to normal operations.