A fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, on Sept. 29 led to a chemical reaction that prompted the evacuation of about 17,000 people and left potentially harmful chlorine in the air. As of Sept. 30, around 90,000 residents in Rockdale County were under a shelter-in-place advisory, according to a CNN news story.
The chemical plume was visible for miles, and authorities advised those in the area to stay indoors with windows closed and air conditioning off. Air quality surveys detected chlorine, which can cause various health issues including eye, nose, and mouth irritation, coughing and nausea.
The fire started on the plant's roof around 5 a.m. Sept. 29 when water from a malfunctioning sprinkler reacted with chemicals. Although initially contained, the fire reignited, and the roof later collapsed. The blaze was extinguished by 4 p.m. Sept. 29.
KIK Consumer Products, BioLab's owner, reported no injuries among employees and is working with authorities to remediate the situation. This incident follows a similar event at the same facility in September 2020, which was caused by hurricane-related damage.
“We continue to work collaboratively with first responders and local authorities and have deployed specialized teams from out of state to the site to bolster and support their efforts. We are all focused on remediating the situation as rapidly as possible,” the company said in statement.
