A large plume sits in the sky above Conyers following the evacuation of about 17,000 people due to a chemical plant fire, and several metro Atlanta counties reported a haze and chemical smell Monday morning.
Fulton officials said they are investigating a “haze and strong chemical smell” that authorities believe is linked to a Sunday fire at BioLab. Meanwhile, Gwinnett County school officials canceled outdoor activities and took steps to prevent air from getting into buildings. DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency and DeKalb Fire Rescue are both testing air quality and will issue advisories should they become necessary.
A shelter-in-place order for all of Rockdale County, where the population exceeds 90,000, has been extended indefinitely Monday.
[2 p.m.]: Inter Atlanta FC – Atlanta’s largest inner-city youth soccer club, with more than 3,000 players – notified caregivers, players and staff in a notice sent just before 2 p.m. that it is cancelling all practices scheduled for Monday, citing the air quality concerns.
“With the safety of our players and staff in mind, we are cancelling all practices today,” the message said.
-- Staff writer Drew Kann
[1:45 p.m.]: The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency issued a public safety alert Monday afternoon in metro Atlanta detailing a “local area emergency” due to the BioLab fire. The alert was issued on behalf of the Environmental Protection Division and stated the EPA was monitoring air quality for chlorine and related compounds.
“Chemical levels are unlikely to cause harm to most people,” the alert stated.
A GEMA representative said the alert went out statewide but it only affects anyone within 50 mile radius of Rockdale County.
[1:30 p.m.]: Mario Greer lives in Chicago, but he was staying with family in Conyers when the BioLab blaze started on Sunday. It was the second time he’s visited Conyers when the facility burned. He also was in town in 2020 when a fire disrupted Rockdale County.
He said the smoke was much lower during the 2020 blaze than it was this time.
“You sell pool chemicals,” Greer said. “What chemicals do you have that aren’t supposed to touch water? Why is that in the building? I don’t get that at all.”
-- Staff writer Savannah Sicurella
[1:10 p.m.]: The city of Atlanta on Monday afternoon said it has been conducting air quality tests after receiving reports of smells “as far as East Point, College Park, Dekalb County, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and beyond.”
The air quality tests by the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department involved drones and handheld monitors and focused on “potential volatile organic compounds, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, and carbon monoxide levels,” according to the city.
“Based on the latest tests, no immediate life safety issues have been identified,” the city stated. “The haze observed earlier is also beginning to clear from the city.”
The tests were conducted west from Candler Road to Moreland Avenue. Officials also tested other areas of Atlanta and said that all results have “come back within acceptable levels.”
“In addition to AFRD’s efforts, we have requested further testing from the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) around AFRD stations 4, 13, 12, and 18. The City of Atlanta is also awaiting guidance from the Fulton County Health Department and Georgia Department of Public Health,” the city added. “For residents with concerns, we continue to advise the following precautionary measures. If you are worried about air quality, please stay indoors, close all windows and doors, and turn off any ventilation systems until further notice.”
[12:40 p.m.]: DeKalb County Schools said there will be no after-school outdoor activities and athletics Monday.
[12:35 p.m.]: Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt said they were working with the county’s emergency management agency late Monday morning to determine how long the shelter-in-place order will last and if there are any additional chemicals or toxins as part of the plume.
Nesbitt said he understood the impact of the order on local businesses and hoped to get them opened back up when it was safe to do so. He said abiding by the order helps to take the strain off county resources.
The chairman also expressed concerns with the continued incidents at the plant and said officials will be having a “different type of conversation with leadership and management” of BioLab.
“Biolab has been a corporate community partner to Rockdale County and the city of Conyers. However, public safety is paramount, so we will be having the necessary conversation with their leadership team about their safety and their mitigation plan and their security plan inside their operations,” Nesbitt added.
-- Photojournalist John Spink
[12:25 p.m.]: Longtime Conyers residents Connie and Craig Raines weren’t officially notified about the incident until late Sunday evening, hours after the fire occurred. The delay in notification confused them, because one of their neighbors was notified quickly after the incident.
“Where is the disconnect?” Connie Raines said. “What’s a question we need to figure out. Where were the big sirens?”
The two live south of the interstate and were under a shelter-in-place order. The smoke wasn’t too severe near their home, but Craig Raines could see the smoke mixing with the clouds from his carport. Connie Raines, who worked as an environmental engineer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for decades before retiring, plans to contact the state to find out more about the chemicals in the air.
The two remember the last BioLab explosion in 2020. Craig Raines said the last explosion seemed worse than this one.
-- Staff writer Savannah Sicurella
[12:15 p.m.]: Gwinnett County said the EPA had not picked up “anything of concern” on mobile monitors set up around the county.
The county said EPA is recommending anyone in the direct plume to stay inside but are not recommending a shelter in place in Gwinnett County at this time.
-- Staff writer Jozsef Papp
[12:10 p.m.]: Jeremy Sarnat, an associate professor of environmental health at Emory University and part of a scientific committee that advises the EPA, said it’s hard to gauge the extent of the health risk posed by the chemical release without knowing which chemicals are present.
He recommended Monday that people take precautions to limit their exposure. Anyone with asthma should be especially careful.
“I’m on the Emory campus right now and I smell it and I see it,” he said around 11 a.m. Monday. “So it was a very, very potent chemical release but it’s not something I am going to panic about. I’ll take precautions (like staying inside) where I can.”
Exposure to chlorine can cause burning of eyes, nose and mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also lead to headaches, nausea and choking.
Sarnat said the health effects from an exposure to these chemicals will be strongly influenced by the dose received and a person’s individual health status.
-- Staff writer Helena Oliviero
[11:55 a.m.]: The DeKalb Emergency Management Agency is aware of air quality concerns following the fire, but officials said the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has not issued any advisories for the county.
“DEMA and DeKalb County Fire Rescue are testing air quality throughout the day around the county and will issue advisories should they become necessary,” Director of Emergency Management Joseph K. Cox said in a statement. “Residents are advised to call 311 to report any air quality concerns.”
[11:45 a.m.]: BioLab, the chemical company and owner of a Conyers factory that caught fire and triggered evacuation and shelter in place orders, has had a series of fires and chemical releases at its facilities in Georgia and elsewhere, state and federal records show.
Sunday’s fire, which caused the evacuation of 17,000 residents, a shelter-in-place order, closures of businesses across Rockdale County and the temporary shutdown of I-20, is at least the fourth significant fire or chemical release from the Conyers plant in the past 20 years, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution review of state and federal records shows.
BioLab is part of Lawrenceville-based KIK Consumer Products, which has brands including Comet, Greased Lightning and Spic and Span. KIK acquired BioLab in 2013 to expand its pool and spa treatment business. BioLab has operated in Conyers since 1973 and incidents at the facility date back decades.
-- Read the full story by staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi here.
[11:30 a.m.]: Charles Young was one of the few people at the Shell gas station at Sigman Road and I-20 late Monday morning where smoke was visible overhead and cast the street in a white haze. He was gassing up his service van before heading back to Decatur.
Young, who works for Weems Freight Services a non-emergency medical transportation company, was scheduled to transport eight clients in Rockdale County to various medical and other appointments.
“We just got a call to come back to the office,” said Young who was wearing a mask while standing outside the truck. “As soon as we got into the area we got an alert on our phones warning people about the smoke and to stay inside. It’s bad.”
-- Staff writer Janel Davis
[11:25 a.m.]: Here’s what we know about the chemical fire, how it started and who is impacted.
-- Read the full story by staff writer Rosana Hughes here.
[11:20 a.m.]: The DeKalb school district is leaving the decision to keep students indoors up to school administrators. City Schools of Decatur has moved all outdoor activities indoors. Meanwhile, Emory University is under normal operations, a spokeswoman said.
-- Staff writers Cassidy Alexander and Eric Stirgus
[11:15 a.m.]: Gwinnett County officials said the EPA is advising anyone in the direct plume to stay inside, but that a shelter in place order was not recommended at this time.
The county stated its hazardous material team was monitoring the situation but had not yet “detected anything hazardous.” Officials said they had expected the smell to “dissipate in a couple of hours” as the winds shift.
“A low-pressure system has pushed fog into the area, and a lack of wind is causing the smell to linger,” the county said on social media.
-- Staff writer Jozsef Papp
[11:05 a.m.]: The city of Atlanta said, at this time, that no warnings or advisories have been issued. Officials said they plan to continue to coordinate with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environmental Protection Division, while Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport conduct air quality control checks.
“We are aware of the incident in Conyers, Georgia, and are working diligently to ensure the safety of those in and around Atlanta,” the city said. “If you have concerns stay inside, clsoe windows and doors, and turn off ventilation systems.”
-- Staff writer Jozsef Papp
[Original story] A shelter-in-place order for all of Rockdale County has been extended indefinitely Monday as Atlanta and Fulton County investigate a “haze and strong chemical smell” that authorities believe is linked to a chemical plant fire.
Environmental officials are investigating the fire at BioLab, a chemical facility on Old Covington Road in Conyers, that sent a colossal wall of smoke that billowed into the air Sunday afternoon and led to the evacuation order of about 17,000 people and several road closures, including I-20, which remained closed until Monday morning.
Residents there will likely see the plume of smoke — now a chemical reaction and not a fire — for several days.
“In the best interest and safety of the public and all citizens, it is recommended that businesses close operations until shelter-in-place is lifted,” county officials said in a news release.
The impact had reached parts of Atlanta by Monday morning. Mayor Andre Dickens said the city is aware of reports of a smell of chlorine around the east side of the city.
”Atlanta Fire Rescue is going out with detectors to various spots east to see what is in the air,” Dickens said on social media.
Dickens said the change of wind direction is blowing some of the Conyers fire residuals toward the city. He said the city will send out more information as soon as it’s available.
The Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency said it is “investigating the numerous reports of a haze and strong chemical smell across Fulton County.”
The agency posted on X: “If you have concerns, STAY INSIDE, CLOSE windows and doors, TURN OFF A/C & other ventilation system.”
In another post, the agency said: “We do believe it’s related to the BioLab fire, but why we are seeing the change in conditions is what we are attempting to figure out. Latest plume modeling indicates it moving to the northeast, which it is clearly not.”
Inter Atlanta FC – Atlanta’s largest inner-city youth soccer club, with more than 3,000 players – notified caregivers and staff it is “monitoring the air quality situation” and would make a decision on whether to hold practices Monday after 2 p.m.
In Gwinnett County, officials said they had received calls from residents reporting haze and a chemical smell believed to be related to the plant fire in Conyers. In a post on X, the county said its emergency management agency is monitoring the situation. Gwinnett Public Schools said it has canceled all outdoor activates events Monday and had taken steps to prevent air from coming into their buildings. In an email, officials said they would continue to monitor the air quality and would be in touch with the county and Department of Public Health about next steps.
“We do know that Rockdale County has reported it may take some time for the fire cloud to dissipate,” school officials said. “Until the air quality improves, we encourage all families and staff to limit time outside, and keep windows and doors shut.”
DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency and DeKalb Fire Rescue are both testing air quality around the county and will issue advisories should they become necessary.
Credit: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rockdale County has a population of just over 90,000. The shelter-in-place decision is based on air quality surveys conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division, “which revealed the harmful irritant chlorine, which was detected in the air emitting from the incident location of BioLab. For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut,” officials said.
Additionally, both directions of I-20 were closed from Turner Hill Road to Almon Road overnight Sunday. The highway reopened around 7:30 a.m. Monday.
“The need to keep I-20 closed (was) based on unpredictable path and wind direction, which could change the direction of the irritants in the air,” authorities said.
Georgia Gwinnett College warned students not to come to campus due to air quality on Monday and instructing students to remain in buildings if they’re already there.
Students attending Rockdale County Public Schools were already off for fall break this week, with a scheduled Oct. 7 return. Newton County Schools are closed Monday because of the size of the evacuation area and the closure of I-20. Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Rockdale and Newton campuses are closed Monday and until further notice.
It was the third time in seven years that a fire has ignited at the plant, officials said. According to the company’s website, BioLab “is the swimming pool and spa water care division of KIK Consumer Products.” That company is based in Lawrenceville.
The fire started Sunday morning and was initially extinguished. It reignited after noon Sunday. Photos showed a massive plume of smoke in the sky that was visible from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport — about 30 miles away.
“Please remain indoors and keep windows closed to minimize exposure to any potential hazards,” the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release.
A fire on the roof caused the sprinkler system to mix with a water-reactive chemical at the plant, Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said during a news conference late Sunday. It’s unclear what started the fire, which was brought under control around 4 p.m. The roof and walls of the plant have since collapsed.
On Sunday morning, McDaniel said crews had been working on taking the material away from the water source at the facility and that the fire was contained to the roof. But the fire reignited around noon as crews were removing the material. There were employees inside the plant, but no injuries have been reported.
“Now we are just trying to mitigate the debris so we can offload the product,” the chief said.
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Standing in front of the bollowing smoke that at one point turned orange, Rockdale Sheriff Eric Levett on Sunday afternoon “strongly asked” residents to stay away from the area.
Officials created an evacuation zone for a large portion of Conyers due to the fire.
There was more traffic than usual in Conyers on Sunday as drivers tried to navigate the closed roads and section of the interstate. A Kroger store on Ga. 138 was shuttered, while a QuikTrip on Klondike Road was pay at the pump only. The lights from police cruisers were visible throughout the area, many of which came from neighboring jurisdictions.
Over her seven years with the fire department, McDaniel said it was the third such incident of “this magnitude,” at the plant. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said it issued a shelter in place order on behalf of Rockdale’s emergency management agency, but no timetable has been provided as to when the area will be safe.
In September 2020, a “TCCA reaction and decomposition” caused another plume of hazardous chemicals to be released into the air at the Conyers plant, exposing facility personnel and nine firefighters to “dangerous fumes,” according to a U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board report. Surrounding businesses were evacuated and a section of I-20 was closed for about six hours. The report stated another decomposition involving TCCA happened four days later at the plant, but no one was injured.
“TCCA is used throughout the country in pool care and, when put in large bodies of water such as a pool, breaks down slowly, releasing chlorine in the water,” the report added. “However, when TCCA comes into contact with small amounts of water and does not dissolve, it can undergo a chemical reaction that generates heat, causing the decomposition of TCCA, which produces toxic chlorine gas.”
While it’s unclear exactly what chemicals were involved with the fire on Sunday, officials said the EPA will be sampling the plume to determine its contents. Before the severity of the chemicals are determined, evacuation sites are being held at Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, 2484 Bruce Street in Lithonia, Bert Adams Boy Scout Camp at 218 Scout Road in Covington, and Wolverine Gym at 8134 Geiger Street in Newton County. A previous site was listed at 90 Hardin Street in Conyers, but it is now in the evacuation zone, officials said.
A dispatcher with the Rockdale fire department confirmed that Rockdale Piedmont Hospital was evacuating some of its patients.
The Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office said its offices and the county courthouse would be closed Monday due to the fire.
“We ask for your prayers for the safety of the residents of Rockdale and the first responders committed to protecting our community,” the DA’s office said.
As of Monday morning, there was not a plan in place for residents unable to return to their homes by the evening. County officials will let the public know on its social media channels when the EPA determines the threat level to the community. A shift in the plume and report from the EPA will likely influence how long the area would be impacted.
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“We have about 60 folks over at the scene working through this, so it’s going to be a long process,” McDaniel said.
The company’s website says that its brands are “industry leaders” that “pioneered computerized water testing and the 3-step system for pool and spa care.” On Sunday, the company responded to the fire with a statement saying that all its employees were safe and that community safety is a top concern.
“We are actively responding to an occurrence at our facility in Conyers, Georgia,” a BioLab representative said in a statement. “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. As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority.”
The fire led to the cancellation of church services from Rockbridge to the Northside County line. Officials said local hospitals will be alerting the public about steps to take for those affected by the incident.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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