CONYERS, Georgia — Some residents east of Atlanta were evacuated while others were asked to shelter in place Sunday to avoid contaminants from a chemical plant fire that sent dark, gray smoke into the ‘air.
Interstate 20 was closed in both directions in the area, the Georgia Department of Transportation said in an article on X.
The fire started when a sprinkler head malfunctioned around 5 a.m. Sunday at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel told reporters. The malfunction caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, producing a plume of chemicals. McDaniel said she wasn’t sure what chemicals were in the plume.
BioLab’s website says it is the pool and spa water care division of KIK Consumer Products, based in Lawrenceville, Georgia. An automated message to the phone number on the parent company’s website said to call back during business hours.
“We are actively responding to an event at our facility in Conyers, Georgia,” a BioLab representative said in a statement provided to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Our employees are accounted for and no injuries have been reported. Our team is on scene and working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation.
A small fire on the factory roof was initially contained but reignited Sunday afternoon, Sheriff Eric Levett said in a video posted to Facebook as gray smoke billowed into the sky behind him. He said authorities were trying to bring the fire under control and urged people to stay away from the area.
Residents in the northern part of Rockdale County, north of Interstate 20, were ordered to evacuate and others were told to shelter in place with windows and doors closed. Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Christine Nesbitt did not know the number of people evacuated.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Division of Environmental Protection were both on scene, said Sharon Webb, county emergency management director. Agencies are monitoring the air “to give us a better idea of the composition of the plume.”
McDaniel said crews were working to remove the chemical from the building, away from the water source. Once the product is contained, the situation will be assessed and authorities will let residents know if it is safe to return home, she said.
