In yet another massive fire at an American chemical plant, the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers, Georgia, went up in flames this weekend. The massive fire billowed red and black smoke into the air, leading to extensive evacuations and shelter-in-place orders for the city, located about 25 miles outside of Atlanta. Local officials prompted an evacuation order for about 17,000 people and a shelter-in-place order that affected 77,000 more. Those orders are still in place as of Monday morning.
The Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency attributed the fire to a malfunctioning sprinkler head. A social media post, they said water from the broken sprinkler “came in contact with a water-reactive chemical and produced a plume.”
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However, at the time, they also said it was contained. The post continued: “A small fire broke out on the roof. Rockdale Fire responded quickly and contained the fire.”
The cause of the fire, or how exactly it reignited and spread, remains unclear.
BioLab manufactured pool and spa treatment products, and air quality surveys reveakled chlorine spilling out into the atmosphere. People in the area reported their eyes burning: Exposure to chlorine gas can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, and of course cause severe respiratory issues.
Several of BioLab’s walls collapsed, along with the roof. The plume is expected to linger for days.
This is not BioLab’s first incident. A representative from the company shared the following statement: “We are actively responding to an occurrence at our facility in Conyers, Georgia. Our employees are accounted for with no injuries reported. Our team is on the scene, working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation. As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority.”
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