Evacuation orders for around 17,000 residents have been lifted following a fire at the BioLab industrial plant in Conyers, Georgia. The fire, which began early Sunday morning, caused a chemical reaction releasing potentially harmful chlorine into the air. The fire was extinguished around 4 p.m. By 8 p.m. ET Monday, officials declared the area safe, though they cautioned residents to stay indoors due to lingering chlorine in the air.
The fire produced a large smoke plume visible for miles, and air quality tests conducted by state and federal agencies confirmed the presence of chlorine. Exposure to the chemical can cause respiratory issues and irritation. However, updated readings from the Environmental Protection Agency showed air quality returning to safer levels. Several schools and businesses were closed temporarily as a precaution. The EPA will continue to monitor the area for potential health risks.
BioLab, a manufacturer of pool and spa products, confirmed that all employees are safe and no injuries have been reported. In a statement released Monday evening, the company said, “Our top priority remains ensuring the community’s safety. We are grateful to the partnership with first responders and local and federal authorities as we together work non-stop to remediate the ongoing situation at our Conyers, Georgia facility. We have made significant progress throughout the day, assisted by the deployment of out-of-state specialist support, and note Rockdale County’s announcement tonight ending the shelter-in-place advisory effective immediately. Air emissions are being actively monitored at the site and in the community by state, local and federal authorities and we are supporting the efforts of local authorities as part of the Unified Command response to the incident.”