A fire at a chemical plant in Conyers, Georgia, on Sunday morning forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and prompted shelter-in-place orders for others. The BioLab plant, which manufactures pool chemicals, erupted in flames around 5:30 a.m., sending toxic smoke into the air and shutting down a portion of Interstate 20 for several hours.
Firefighters were forced to use water to control the blaze, despite the risk of causing further chemical reactions. The fire triggered the plant’s sprinkler system, but rather than extinguishing the flames, the sprinklers intensified the reaction. Although employees were inside the plant when the fire started, no injuries were reported.
Officials ordered about 17,000 people to evacuate as smoke drifted into the surrounding area. Authorities in nearby Newton County advised residents to stay indoors and turn off air conditioning units if they detected a chlorine odor. Shelters were opened for displaced residents in Rockdale, Newton, and DeKalb counties.
This fire marks the third major incident at the BioLab plant in the last two decades. Previous fires in 2004 and 2020 caused widespread damage and raised questions about the facility’s safety protocols. Despite assurances from officials that the chemical levels in the air posed no significant risk, many residents remain concerned.
While the immediate threat has subsided, questions linger about why a plant with such a history of hazardous incidents continues to operate near residential areas. Local residents are demanding answers from both BioLab and government officials about the long-term safety of their community.=