Immediate Evacuation In Georgia City After Chemical Plant Catches FIRE
A fire at a chemical plant in Conyers, Georgia forced residents to either evacuate or shelter-in-place early Sunday morning. The chemical is a water-reactive substance that malfunctioned and caused the fire, raising alarms about potential health dangers in the area.
Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel told Atlanta Fox-affiliate WAGA the incident unfolded around 5 a.m. when an ammonia tanker malfunctioned, causing a chemical reaction with chlorine in the plant’s sprinkler system. According to McDaniel, “We do know this: about 5 o’clock this morning a sprinkler head failed, and that caused an introduction with a water-reactive chemical.”
Although the specific chemicals in the plume were not identified, McDaniel said that everyone at the plant had been evacuated and there have been no reported injuries. “Everyone in the immediate area is unharmed,” she said.
The EPA is sending a team to Rockdale, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency press secretary Mollie Lemon.
That’s as pictures and videos of that massive plume from the fire have been shared on social media, meteorologist James Spann posting these images near I-20 in Conyers, which has since been partially closed. The I-20 east and westbound are closed between Turner Hill Road and Salem Road, the City of Conyers announced on X (formerly Twitter). (See evacuation area map below. If you are in this area, evacuate to a safe place.
BioLab, the company that owns the plant, is “working to actively respond” to the fire, a spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “WE CONFIRM ALL EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE WITH NO INJURIES,” a spokesman said. Our team is on the scene and we are working with first responders and local law enforcement to assess the situation.
The plant focuses on swimming pool and spa water care solutions for KIK Consumer Products. For now, authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation and residents remain advised to follow evacuation orders if they want to stay safe.
