Georgia chemical plant erupts in flames, thousands evacuated

Sep 30

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

A fire broke out Sunday, Sept. 29, at the BioLab chemical plant, located about 24 miles east of Atlanta, prompting the evacuation of 17,000 people and a shelter-in-place order for 77,000 others. The fire, which started around 5:30 a.m., was triggered when water from the plant’s sprinkler system mixed with a reactive chemical, creating a plume of potentially hazardous smoke.

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The plume changed color from white to black to orange, prompting authorities to close an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 20 and several local roads, causing significant traffic disruptions.

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No injuries have been reported, and all BioLab employees are accounted for. Local hospitals remained operational, though some patients were transferred as a precaution. Nearby school districts canceled classes on Monday, Sept. 30.

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office expanded the evacuation zone in the afternoon, urging residents to shelter in place and avoid the affected area. Emergency responders worked throughout the day to safely remove the water-reactive chemicals.

This is the third major chemical incident at the BioLab facility in the past seven years. In 2020, a similar fire exposed workers and firefighters to hazardous fumes and resulted in over $1 million in property damage, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been monitoring the air quality, and authorities are advising residents to stay informed through official channels as the situation develops.

Tags: Atlanta, Biolab, chemicals, Environmental Protection Agency, toxic chemicals

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A FIRE BROKE OUT AT A CHEMICAL PLANT IN NEAR ATLANTA, ON SUNDAY, TRIGGERING A MASSIVE EVACUATION OF 17-THOUSAND PEOPLE AND A SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER FOR 77-THOUSAND MORE. THE FIRE AT THE BIOLAB PLANT REPORTEDLY STARTED ON THE ROOF, TRIGGERING THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED WATER TO MIX WITH A REACTIVE CHEMICAL.

THE CHEMICAL PLUME SHIFTED FROM WHITE TO BLACK, THEN TURNED ORANGE AS IT BILLOWED FROM THE BUILDING PROMPTING LOCAL OFFICIALS TO CLOSE AN EIGHT-MILE STRETCH OF INTERSTATE 20.

THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNKNOWN, BUT NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. BIOLAB, WHICH MANUFACTURES POOL AND SPA TREATMENT PRODUCTS, CONFIRMED THAT ALL EMPLOYEES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR.

ROCKDALE COUNTY HOSPITALS STAYED OPEN, BUT SOME PATIENTS WERE MOVED TO OTHER FACILITIES AS A PRECAUTION AND NEARBY SCHOOLS CANCELED CLASSES MONDAY.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE BIOLAB PLANT HAS EXPERIENCED SUCH AN INCIDENT. IN 2020, A SIMILAR CHEMICAL RELEASE AT THE FACILITY EXPOSED WORKERS AND FIREFIGHTERS TO HAZARDOUS FUMES AND SHUT DOWN A PORTION OF I-20 FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD ESTIMATED THAT THE 2020 INCIDENT CAUSED OVER $1 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.

THE ROCKDALE COUNTY FIRE CHIEF SAYS THIS IS THE PLANT’S THIRD MAJOR CHEMICAL-RELATED FIRE IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.

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