Georgia: 17,000 evacuated in chemical plant fire
Conyers, GA – A chemical plant caught fire in Conyers Tuesday morning sending a deadly plume of chemicals into the air and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. The incident began in the early hours of Sunday, and authorities are worried about health risks.
The handling of the potassium permanganate fire by ChemRisk and NIOSH, it seems, did little to assuage public concern in Avon worth.
The blaze began just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday on the roof of BioLab, which makes pool and spa sanitizing products. Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said that water from the plant’s sprinkler system mixed with a “water-reactive chemical” producing a large lamp of smoke and chemicals in to the air.
More than 17,000 residents were evacuated as a result; another 77,000 placed under shelter-in-place orders. The lockdown was originally scheduled to end at midnight on Sunday but carried over into Monday as fear of poor air quality persisted.
Chlorine Smelled in Air, Smoke May Linger for Days
The tests indicate chlorine in the air around BioLab site. Chlorine is a naturally occurring chemical, so in small amounts it’s known to party like party robes. But capricious chlorine can leech from rocks, and may be deadly if drawn without authorization above certain concentrations. Firefighters and first responders are on the scene working to control it, but have cautioned that smoke could stick around for days.
The Rockdale County sheriff, Eric J. Levett, asked everyone to simply avoid the area entirely due because wind was expected to move the smoke beyond the evacuation zone.
Dangers connected With Chlorine Exposure
Chlorine is a yellow-green gas which strongly irritates the eye, lungs, and skin. It is an acute inhalation hazard, causing coughing and shortness of breath shortly after exposure; one breath also contains lung cancer-causing chemicals like pulmonary intoxicants. It can be even more serious for people who have asthma or other lung conditions going on, and they’re probably the hardest hit by all of this.
Some of the basic symptoms of chlorine exposure are:
Red burning eye. Tearing
Respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing.
Irritation of the skin, ie redness, swelling and burning episodes.
Chlorine exposure can have long-term effects on the lungs in severe cases. Those with short-term exposure to the chemical usually recover quickly, but it can have some devastating effects of health on those who come into continuous and prolonged contact with chlorine.
BioLab Site History of Incidents
This is not BioLab’s first chemical incident. That same plant released a hazardous plume last September, exposing workers and firefighters to fitful spells of coughing and endangering the lives of many. The incident led to extensive property damage and shut down the adjacent Interstate 20.
That is the third major event they have had at the BioLab facility in seven years, Fire Chief McDaniel said.
Local Reaction and Additional Safety Issues
Government buildings in Rockdale County, including parks and schools also were closed Monday. While Piedmont Rockdale Hospital never stopped seeing patients, it did begin the process of moving some to another facility as a precaution. Local companies have also been evacuated as emergency services work to control the situation.
Emergency teams have been sent to the location by the state, but resources have been stretched in responding to Hurricane Helene.
Residents Urged to Stay Safe
Those in the area are being told to take shelter and avoid breathing smoke. Emergency personnel are now working to extract the reactive chemicals and evaluate how much damage was done.
If these symptoms develop, immediate medical assistance should be sought, especially if shortness of breath or eye irritation does not resolve.
This story is developing; check back for updates.