Bomb found near ethanol plant in central Illinois forces evacuations
The bomb was discovered Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables plant in Peoria. Officials say the bomb has been "rendered safe," but called it a "credible threat." The FBI is investigating.
Noticia publicada originalmente por NPR — News en npr.org (se abre en una pestaña nueva). Minuto 24 no es autor de este contenido.
Claves de la noticia
- Un artefacto explosivo fue hallado el viernes por la tarde cerca de una planta de etanol de BioUrja Renewables en Peoria, Illinois.
- Las autoridades dijeron que el artefacto ya fue neutralizado, pero todos los residentes en un radio de una milla siguen bajo orden de evacuación.
- La policía de Peoria calificó la amenaza de creíble, y el FBI investiga sin dar más detalles.
- Hasta el momento no hay detenidos ni heridos reportados, y se habilitaron refugios para las personas desplazadas.
- La planta, situada junto al río Illinois, fue adquirida por la empresa en 2021 y maneja etanol y productos químicos altamente combustibles.
Contexto
Peoria es una ciudad del centro de Illinois, con unos 110.000 habitantes, situada a unas 150 millas al suroeste de Chicago. Las plantas de etanol almacenan y procesan sustancias inflamables, por lo que cualquier amenaza en sus instalaciones genera preocupación entre vecinos y autoridades. Las llamadas de bomba y los paquetes sospechosos son frecuentes, aunque la mayoría no resulta en una amenaza real, y todas deben evaluarse con seriedad. Según el artículo, la semana anterior también hubo amenazas de bomba en Europa que obligaron a desviar vuelos, aunque luego se declararon falsas. Este caso sigue en investigación.
Resumen elaborado por Minuto 24 con ayuda de inteligencia artificial a partir de la noticia publicada por NPR — News. Puede contener imprecisiones: ante cualquier duda, consulta la fuente original.
A bomb was found near an ethanol plant in central Illinois, sparking evacuations of those who live near the industrial site as law enforcement officials investigate, authorities said Saturday.
The bomb was found Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables facility in Peoria. While officials say the device has since been "rendered safe," as of Saturday morning, all residents within a 1-mile radius remained under an evacuation notice as officials continued to scour the facility for any other bombs and evidence.
Meanwhile, shelters have been set up for those displaced by the threat, authorities said.
"This is a credible threat," Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon told reporters just after midnight Saturday. "We need to take the blast radius seriously."
FBI Special Agent Ryan Pressley said his agency was investigating, but declined to provide further details.
"We will work tirelessly to identify the individual responsible and bring them to justice," he said.
No arrests have been made at this time and no injuries have been reported.
Peoria Mayor Rita Ali told WMBD-TV on Friday that BioUrja is "a plant that has ethanol and highly combustible types of chemicals, and so that's what alarms us."
It's not unusual for law enforcement to receive bomb threats and suspicious package calls, but they often don't result in a credible threat even though such calls are taken seriously by officials who must assess and investigate the claims.
Just earlier this week, hundreds of airline passengers in Europe had their flights diverted or given military escorts after a series of bomb threats that officials have since declared were malicious hoaxes.
"We understand that this is a disruptive process for our residents and guests," said Dixon. "We're asking for the public's patience while we work to make this area safe."
Peoria, with a population of around 110,000, is located about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
The BioUrja plant is located along the Illinois River. The company acquired the ethanol plant in 2021.
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