On Monday, thousands of residents in Rockdale County, Georgia, were urged to stay indoors with their windows shut after a fire at a chemical plant triggered the release of chlorine into the air.
The fire, which broke out Sunday morning at the BioLab plant in Conyers, led to the evacuation of around 17,000 people and prompted a shelter-in-place advisory affecting roughly 90,000 individuals.
The blaze at the BioLab facility, a producer of pool and spa chemicals, sent a large plume of chlorine gas into the atmosphere. Authorities advised remaining residents to stay inside, keep windows closed, and turn off air conditioning to avoid exposure to the potentially hazardous fumes. The visible plume extended for miles, raising concerns about air quality in the surrounding areas.
Conyers, located about 30 miles east of Atlanta, saw both sides of Interstate 20 shut down temporarily on Sunday due to concerns over changing wind patterns that could redirect airborne irritants. While the highway reopened Monday, county facilities remained closed, and some schools in neighboring Dekalb County canceled outdoor activities as a precaution.
Residents in nearby areas reported a strong bleach or chemical odor in the air.
The fire began around 5 a.m. on the roof of the BioLab plant. According to county officials, water from a malfunctioning sprinkler head reacted with a water-sensitive chemical, resulting in the plume of chlorine.
Although firefighters initially contained the blaze, it reignited later in the day before being fully extinguished by 4 p.m., Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel confirmed. However, the plant’s roof collapsed following the fire.
Air quality tests conducted by state and federal agencies confirmed the presence of chlorine, a harmful irritant that can cause symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, nausea, and headaches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
BioLab, which specializes in pool and spa treatment products, has yet to comment on the incident. Local officials have strongly discouraged residents and outsiders from visiting the area. “This is not the time for sightseeing,” said Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett. “We are urging everyone, especially Rockdale residents, to avoid the area.”
As a precaution, a nearby hospital began relocating patients to other medical facilities. Officials also advised anyone experiencing a medical emergency to seek treatment outside the immediate area.
Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt emphasized the severity of the situation, describing it as an "all hands on deck" emergency. Multiple agencies, including FEMA and GEMA, have been deployed to manage the crisis. Nesbitt also noted the significant structural damage to the BioLab building, describing it as a "complete collapse."
The incident has drawn attention to a previous fire at the same facility in September 2020, when a “thermal decomposition event” triggered by rainwater infiltration led to a fire. That event also resulted in the temporary closure of Interstate 20.
Residents of neighboring Newton County also received alerts regarding the fire on Sunday as officials worked to contain the situation.