WILLIAMSBURG TWP., Ohio — The Purina Pet Care plant in Williamsburg Township was evacuated Monday morning after a bomb threat was made against the plant, according to Clermont County Sheriff's Office.
Clermont County said in a press release that at 9:12 a.m., an employee called to report a note that had been discovered in a Porta Potty at the plant indicating there was a "bomb inside" the facility in the 3000 block of Afton Drive with today's date on the note.
Management immediately told employees to leave for the day, the sheriff's office said. Clermont County deputies responded to the scene to assist in evacuating the facility and set up a staging area for media just beyond the fence surrounding the property. Our crew on the scene could see cars streaming off the site, waived on by someone in a safety vest.
The sheriff's office said it conducted a thorough sweep of the entire building and perimeter and did not locate any items or devices. Nearly 900 employees were on the site at the time of the evacuation.
There are no leads regarding the source of the threat, Clermont County said. If you have any information about this, please call the sheriff's office at 513-732-7510.
The plant was announced back in 2020, but it's not clear if it is partially or fully operational. Hiring has begun for jobs at the facility. Purina's website says there will be 300 jobs in total by the end of 2024 at the site.
The company estimates it would invest $550 million in the new dry food factory.
The new location is Purina’s first newly-built factory since 1975. Construction of the new 1.2 million-square-foot factory in the South Afton Industrial Park was originally projected to be completed by 2023. The field it was built on sat empty for decades – waiting for the right opportunity.
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