Cleanup begins after fire at chemical plant forces evacuation near Atlanta

CONYERS, Ga. (AP) — Some east Atlanta residents were evacuated while others were told to shelter in place Sunday to avoid contaminants from a chemical plant fire that sent a massive plume of dark smoke into the up into the sky that could be seen from miles away. away.

Interstate 20 was closed in both directions in the area, the Georgia Department of Transportation said in a post on X. Reports said traffic was backed up as vehicles stopped in the area after the closure.

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 the water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, producing a wave of chemicals.

McDaniel said there are employees inside the plant, but no injuries have been reported at this time, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The paper said the slanting plume of smoke was visible Sunday afternoon up to 30 miles (50 kilometers) away at Atlanta International Airport, south of the city. He added that no injuries were immediately reported.

“Once we can get that chemical out of the building and let them burn, we’ll be in much better shape,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said she wasn’t sure what chemicals might have been contained in the plumage.

BioLab’s website says it is the pool and spa water care division of Lawrenceville, Georgia-based KIK Consumer Products. An automated message to the phone number on the parent company’s website said it would 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 with no reported injuries. Our team is on the scene working with first responders and local authorities to assess and control the situation.”

A small fire on the roof of the factory 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 get the fire under control and urged people to stay away from the area.

People in northern 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 evacuees, although it covered a large portion of the Conyers community.

Late Sunday, the Newton County School District announced that classes would be canceled on Monday. “Out of an abundance of caution for the safety, health and well-being of all students and staff, we have determined that the best course of action is to close all schools tomorrow…” it said in a statement.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Division of Environmental Protection were both on the scene, said Sharon Webb, county emergency management director. The agencies are monitoring the air “to give us a better idea of ​​what the plume consists of.”

McDaniel said crews are working to remove the chemical from the building, away from the water source. Once the product is contained, the situation will be assessed and officials will inform residents if it is safe to return to their homes, she said.

Photo: The fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers on Sunday. (Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

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Chemical products