A shelter-in-place advisory has been extended for an entire Georgia county Monday after chlorine was detected in the air, emitting from a chemical lab where there was a fire the day before.
A chemical fire ignited on the roof of the BioLab plant in Conyers, Rockdale County at 5 a.m. Sunday after a sprinkler head malfunctioned “causing a mixture with a water-reactive chemical,” Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said. The fire, which reignited for a few hours, has since been put out.
The resulting release of chemical gas prompted a shelter-in-place recommendation for the entire county, population 93,570, through to midnight, and mandatory evacuation orders for residents near the plant. Rockdale County extended the shelter-in-place recommendation for residents in an early Monday morning update.
Officials did not confirm the chemical involved in the release Sunday, but the county said air quality surveys conducted by the Environmental Protection Division and the Environmental Protection Agency detected chlorine in the air coming from the lab.
“For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut,” the county advised.
The county also announced that all government facilities will be closed Monday, and advised businesses to close operations until the shelter-in-place is lifted. The county did not clarify when that will happen.
The BioLab facility is run by Operator KIK Consumer Products, which produces Clorox-branded pool-cleaning products made with chlorine.
“Acute exposure to chlorine gas initially causes coughing, eye and nose irritation, lacrimation, and a burning sensation in the chest,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “Airway constriction and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur.”
KIK Consumer Products said no employee injuries were reported. It’s not clear if there are any injuries among residents at this time.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. On Sunday, Fire Chief McDaniel said that the sprinkler system, and then firefighters, may have exacerbated the chemical reaction by putting water on it.
“We’ve been firefighting with water,” McDaniel said during the update, “but the water is also aggravating the chemical.”
When asked if Hurricane Helene and its aftermath may have helped spark the fire and chemical reaction, the chief said it was too early to tell.
Interstate 20, which was closed following the incident, has since been reopened, the county said. Multiple roads in the area are still closed as of Monday morning.
