Residents told to evacuate, interstate shut down after fire at BioLab sends

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A BioLab in Conyers, Georgia is in the middle of a chemical fire emergency Sunday afternoon and residents have been told to leave or take shelter during the fallout.

Here’s a view of the chemical plume rising above Interstate 20 east of Atlanta.

Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel told reporters that a sprinkler head malfunctioned around 5 a.m. Sunday at the BioLab plant in Conyers. That caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, which produced a plume of chemicals. The chief said she wasn’t sure what chemicals were included …

‘We don’t want fear. This is a well-handled incident,’ McDaniel said. ‘We have this under control. We’re looking to get it even more under control, and we will be out here until the very end.’

BioLab in Conyers manufactures pool and spa chemical treatments and local officials warned residents to shelter in place this morning after the fire started.

The fire reignited at 1 PM, which is the plume you see in the video above.

At 1 p.m., the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office updated the zone where they are asking people to evacuate their homes.

Officials say they are also blocking off I-20 in both directions between Salem Road and Turner Hill Road.

Hopefully they can get the situation back under control.