Fire at Georgia chemical plant causes evacuations, road closures

() – A fire at a Georgia chemical plant apparently caused by a sprinkler head malfunction Sunday morning caused evacuations and road closures in the area, according to Rockdale County officials.

The incident unfolded around 5 a.m. ET at BioLab in Conyers, Georgia. Water from the failed sprinkler head “came into contact with a water-reactive chemical and caused a plume,” county officials explained. on your website.

contacted BioLab, described as a manufacturer of pool and spa treatment products, for comment.

A fire broke out on the roof and firefighters were able to contain the fire, but the fire reignited hours later, Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett said in a message. video posted on Facebook.

“I want to strongly ask everyone to spread the word to stay away from this area at this time,” Levett said. “It’s burning quite a bit. “We try to control that, but at the same time we also try to control the traffic.”

Roads are closed in the area and residents between Sigman Road and Interstate 20 were asked to evacuate. Additionally, the interstate is blocked in both directions between Salem Road and Turner Hill. The sheriff said he will ask the Georgia Department of Public Safety and the Georgia State Patrol for help.

Those north of Sigman were asked to shelter in place and keep their windows closed.

The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments also asked nearby residents to turn off air conditioning “to minimize exposure to potential hazards.”

In September 2020BioLab suffered a “thermal decomposition event” that also caused a fire that temporarily closed Interstate 20.

In its final report on the incident, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board found that Hurricane Laura’s strong winds damaged the lab’s warehouse, allowing rainwater to enter the building. The water came into contact with a chemical substance and generated a reaction that caused the fire.

Conyers is about 30 miles east of Atlanta.