A chemical plant explosion in Conyers, Georgia, has led to the evacuation of over 17,000 residents and the closure of businesses in the area. The fire at the BioLab plant was brought under control around 4 p.m. on Sunday, but not before it sent a massive plume of dark smoke into the sky, visible for miles. The Environmental Protection Agency and the state Environmental Protection Division detected harmful irritant chlorine in the air, according to a statement from the Rockdale County government.
The fire was triggered by a malfunctioning sprinkler head at the BioLab plant around 5 a.m. on Sunday(September 29). The malfunction caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, producing a plume of chemicals. There were employees inside the plant at the time, but no injuries have been reported.
Interstate 20, which was shut down in both directions in the area on Sunday, was reopened on Monday morning. However, some other roads in the county and county government offices remain closed. People in the northern part of Rockdale County, north of Interstate 20, were ordered to evacuate on Sunday, and others were told to shelter in place. Around 90,000 people remain under shelter-in-place orders.
BioLab, a division of Lawrenceville, Georgia-based KIK Consumer Products, specializes in swimming pool and spa water care. The company is working with first responders and local authorities to contain the situation. A spokesperson for BioLab said, “Our top priority is ensuring the community’s safety, and our teams are working around the clock to respond to the ongoing situation at our facility in Conyers, Georgia.”
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