Residents in east Atlanta face mandatory evacuations due to fire at chemical plant
Date
9/30/2024 4:42:23 AM
(MENAFN) On Sunday, residents living east of Atlanta faced mandatory evacuations while others were advised to shelter in place due to a significant fire at a chemical plant, which released a massive plume of dark smoke visible from miles away. The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that Interstate 20 was closed in both directions in the affected area, leading to considerable traffic congestion as vehicles became trapped following the closure.
The fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers, caused by a malfunctioning sprinkler head around 5 a.m., resulted in a dangerous mixture of water and a water-reactive chemical, according to Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel. Fortunately, although there were employees present at the facility during the incident, no injuries have been reported as of now, as noted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The smoke cloud from the fire was so extensive that it was visible from as far away as 30 miles (50 kilometers) at Atlanta's international airport, located south of the city. McDaniel stated that addressing the situation would improve once the chemicals could be safely removed from the building and allowed to burn off. However, she mentioned that she was uncertain about the specific chemicals present in the plume, raising concerns about potential contaminants in the area.
BioLab is known for its role as the swimming pool and spa water care division of KIK Consumer Products, which is based in Lawrenceville, Georgia. An automated message at the company's contact number advised callers to reach out during business hours, indicating a likely disruption in normal operations due to the ongoing emergency. Local authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely as they work to contain the fire and protect the surrounding community.
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