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Air quality surveys done by the Environmental Protection Agency
and the state Environmental Protection Division “revealed the
harmful irritant chlorine” detected in the air from the fire at
the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, the Rockdale County
Government said in statement early Monday.
“For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn
the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut,” the
statement said of the accident that has affected the entire
county.
The fire was brought under control around 4 p.m. Sunday,
officials said.
Interstate 20, which was shut down in both directions in the
area on Sunday, was reopened Monday morning, officials said.
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..
Sheriff’s office spokesperson Christine Nesbitt did not know the
number of people evacuated, although it covered a large portion
of the community of Conyers. Media reports said the number was
17,000.
The fire ignited when a sprinkler head malfunctioned around 5
a.m. Sunday at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Rockdale County Fire
Chief Marian McDaniel told reporters. The malfunction caused
water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, producing a plume
of chemicals.
McDaniel said there were employees inside the plant but no
injuries have been reported at this time, The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution reported.
BioLab’s website says it is the swimming pool and spa water care
division of Lawrenceville, Georgia-based KIK Consumer Products.
Automated messages at two phone numbers for the company said to
call back during business hours. An email was sent to the
company Monday.
“We are actively responding to an occurrence at our facility in
Conyers, Georgia,” a BioLab representative said in a statement
provided to the Journal-Constitution. “Our employees are
accounted for with no injuries reported. Our team is on the
scene, working with first responders and local authorities to
assess and contain the situation.”
A small fire on the plant’s roof was initially contained but
reignited Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
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