A real explosive device was found at an ethanol plant in Peoria, Illinois, on Friday, November 13, 2026, forcing the evacuation of more than 5,000 residents and workers within a one-mile radius and drawing in the FBI — and officials warned early Saturday that they still did not know whether other devices were at the plant.
The emergency began shortly after 1 p.m. Central Time on Friday, when BioUrja Renewables — which operates the former Archer Daniels Midland ethanol and alcohol plant at 1 Edmund Street — notified Peoria police that it had received a bomb threat. A suspicious package was located at about 2 p.m., Police Chief Brad Dixon told reporters.
By about 6:45 p.m., investigators had concluded the package was exactly what the threat promised: a credible, real bomb. Authorities set a one-mile evacuation radius covering parts of Peoria and East Peoria on both sides of the Illinois River. Mayor Rita Ali told residents late Friday: "We know it's a credible threat. We know it's a bomb," adding that officials did not know whether there were other devices.
Bomb technicians rendered the device safe at about 9:15 p.m. Friday, Dixon said at a news conference early Saturday. But the plant itself had still not been cleared, the search of the large facility was continuing, and the evacuation order remained in force into Saturday, November 14. No injuries were reported and no arrests had been made.
FBI personnel from the bureau's Springfield office joined Peoria police and state and federal partners, including ATF explosives specialists, in the investigation. "We will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice," an FBI special agent told reporters. No suspect or motive has been publicly identified.
Residents inside the evacuation zone should follow Peoria police instructions and not return until officials declare the plant and the surrounding area cleared.
Sources: CNN, The New York Times, Associated Press, Peoria Police Department briefings via 25 News Now / WMBD.
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