On Sunday, a fire and continued chemical spill erupted at a plant east of Atlanta, prompting residents in an entire Georgia county to seek cover.
The shelter-in-place suggestion for Rockdale County’s 93,570 inhabitants was valid until midnight, according to a county statement. Residents near the plant in Conyer, Georgia, were ordered to evacuate as a gaseous cloud from a linked chemical reaction continued to spread Sunday night.
A sprinkler head malfunctioned after 5 a.m. at the BioLab plant, “causing a mixture with a water-reactive chemical,” according to Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel.
“There was a small fire on the roof,” McDaniel reported.
The exact origin of the fire was being investigated, but the chief stated at an afternoon news conference that the sprinkler system, followed by firemen, may have aggravated the chemical reaction by throwing water on it.
“We’ve been firefighting with water,” McDaniel said during the report, “but the water is also aggravating the chemical.”
Officials declined to specify the chemical involved in the discharge, indicating that it had not yet been confirmed.
The operator, KIK Consumer Products, stated in response to the incident. According to the report, the factory produces Clorox-branded pool cleaning products.
Clorox says the brand’s offering includes chlorine-based solutions that eliminate bacteria and algae. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chlorine is unstable and when emitted can produce a gaseous and poisonous plume.
According to the CDC, it can also react with water and other compounds.
The fire re-ignited at midday as technicians were removing the product from the plant, according to McDaniel. It took another three or four hours to get it under control, she explained.
“We now have it out,” the CEO stated.
Though the flames have been extinguished, the chemical reaction will continue to produce a plume for “several days,” McDaniel added.
The fire brigade was still trying to remove the item from the structure, the chief stated earlier.
When asked in the afternoon whether Hurricane Helene and her aftermath may have contributed to the fire and chemical reaction, the chief indicated it was too early to say.
Sharon Webb, director of the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency, advised homeowners to stay put until officials could determine what was in the plume.
“Right now it is a precaution until we get a reading about what the actual plume is,” according to her.
McDaniel outlined how residents should shelter in place. “We’ll tell people to … keep your doors and windows closed,” McDaniel told the crowd. “Any event, the wind shift, this thing can change quickly.”
Videos on social media showed smoke pouring above the factory.
No injuries were reported outside the facility. Similarly, KIK stated that no injuries were reported among its staff at the plant.
“Our team is on the scene, working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation,” according to the statement. “As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority.”
Rockdale County officials advised homes between Sigman Road and Interstate 20 to evacuate on Sunday morning.