Following a chemical plant fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, more than 90,000 residents in Rockdale County were advised to shelter in place on Monday. The fire, which sent a massive plume of dark smoke into the sky, led to the detection of chlorine in the air, prompting concerns about air quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the state Environmental Protection Division conducted air quality surveys, confirming the presence of harmful irritants in the air. As a precautionary measure, residents were instructed to turn off air conditioning, and keep windows and doors closed.
The fire, which started when a sprinkler head malfunctioned at the BioLab plant, was brought under control on Sunday afternoon. Despite the presence of employees inside the plant at the time of the incident, no injuries have been reported.
Interstate 20, initially closed in both directions, was reopened on Monday morning. However, some roads in the county remained closed, and county government offices were also affected.
Evacuation orders were issued for the northern part of Rockdale County, with reports indicating that approximately 17,000 people were affected. The community of Conyers witnessed a significant impact due to the fire.
BioLab, a division of KIK Consumer Products, emphasized community safety as its top priority. The company stated that specialized teams from out of state were deployed to support local authorities in addressing the situation. Efforts are ongoing to remediate the incident swiftly.
While a small fire on the plant's roof was initially contained, it reignited on Sunday afternoon, requiring continued attention from authorities.
