A Rockdale County official died Tuesday after suffering a “medical emergency” during a state legislative hearing on the BioLab chemical fire.
Kenny Johnson, the supervisor for the county’s Soil and Water Conservation District, spoke passionately to state legislators, calling on the federal government to open a criminal investigation into BioLab.
“We got to remove this company out of this community,” Johnson said.
Moments later he collapsed outside the hearing room. Somebody asked the room if anybody who knew or was related to Johnson had come to the meeting. A murmur broke out among the crowd as attendees shuffled in and out of the room. Several people wept.
“He complained of shortness of breath and subsequently collapsed in the hallway,” the Georgia House Democratic Caucus said in a news release. The release said state Rep. Viola Davis, D-Stone Mountain, who is a nurse by profession, administered CPR while medical professionals were called. Johnson was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital but was pronounced dead, the release said.
The nature of Johnson’s medical emergency was not disclosed.
Johnson was among roughly two dozen Rockdale residents and officials who came to the Capitol for a public hearing on Tuesday to express their concerns about the BioLab incident and the threats to community health.
“(Johnson’s) unwavering commitment to environmental justice and his testimony on the effects of the BioLab chemical fire on the community remain etched in our memories,” Davis said in a statement. “His efforts to improve our quality of life have left a lasting impact on our community, and we must honor his legacy by ensuring that we follow through with the requests he so fervently championed.”
Georgia House Democratic Caucus Leader James Beverly issued a statement Tuesday evening expressing sympathy to Johnson’s family.
“Please know that our thoughts, prayers and actions are with you during this difficult time,” Beverly said. “May cherished memories of Kenny and the work he did bring you comfort.”
On Wednesday, a haze could still be seen hanging over the community in Conyers as community members met at the Empowerment Unlimited Church to express their frustration with the county and BioLab. Many also mourned Johnson’s passing.
Johnson was a familiar figure in Rockdale’s activist circles. Arlan Gibson said Johnson managed Gibson’s campaign for Rockdale County Commission that came up short earlier this year.
He said he hopes Johnson will be remembered as a “soldier for the truth.”
“He was a straight shooter without a chaser,” Gibson said.
Another Rockdale resident, Rachel Williams, said Johnson “cared about this community more than anybody knows.”
The BioLab facility caught on fire Sept. 29, leading to an initial evacuation of Conyers and shelter-in-place orders for the rest of Rockdale County. A plume of smoke has continuously risen as the pool chemicals produced there reacted with water used to contain the blaze. Currently, those living within a 2-mile radius of the plant are advised to shelter-in-place nightly.
Schools in Rockdale have been moved to virtual learning this week and will continue that way until Oct. 18 because of safety concerns over the fire and its aftermath.
