The massive chemical fire at a BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, that sent over 90,000 residents into emergency shelters on Monday, Sept. 30 continues to wreak havoc in the region and may be responsible for the death of at least one Rockfale Couty resident and firefighter who succumbed to respiratory distress on yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 10 days after the initial chemical fire spread a thick haze of toxic smoke throughout the Atlanta suburb.
Ironically, shortly after giving testimony a Rockdale firefighter and county official died after giving testimony at a hearing on the BioLab chemical fire. Kenny Johnson, a firefighter and Rockdale Soil and Water Conservation District State Boardollapsed after giving testimony on the aftermath of the Biolab
Johnson “complained of shortness of breath and subsequently collapsed in the hallway” outside of the hearing. State Rep. Viola Davis, who is a nurse, administered CPR before professionals arrived. Johnson was taken to the hospital, where he later died
The fire, which began early Sunday, Sept. 29, sent towering plumes of dark smoke into the sky, visible for miles, and the situation escalated into a public health concern as chlorine, a harmful chemical irritant, was detected in the air, which continues to plague residents and business owners in the area to this day after plumes of hazardous smoke continue to contaminate the air in the area.
Residents east of Atlanta were ordered to remain indoors on Monday, Sept. 30, over 24 hours after the fire began. Officials advised people to turn off their air conditioning, seal their windows, and avoid exposure to the potentially toxic air.
Residents and emergency teams report that ongoing exposure to chlorine gas is causing irritation to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin, making it a serious health risk, especially for vulnerable populations.
The fire broke out when a malfunction in the sprinkler system caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, leading to the blaze and the subsequent release of hazardous materials.
According to Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel, the fire erupted around 5 a.m. Sunday at the BioLab plant, which produces pool and spa chemicals. Although there were employees inside the plant at the time, no injuries were reported.
“Our top priority is ensuring the community’s safety, and our teams are working around the clock to respond to the ongoing situation at our facility in Conyers, Georgia,” a spokesperson said in a statement released on Monday. “We continue to work collaboratively with first responders and local authorities and have deployed specialized teams from out of state to the site to bolster and support their efforts. We are all focused on remediating the situation as rapidly as possible.”
The BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, has faced a long history of safety violations and scrutiny. Following a fire in 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched an investigation into the facility. In 2020, the Chemical Safety Board noted a similar incident, raising concerns about recurring safety risks.
Further investigation by 11Alive revealed more than a dozen violations reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), most of them categorized as “serious.” Since the 2004 fire, BioLab has incurred at least $67,000 in fines from OSHA for various safety breaches.
Local residents, such as Andre Kellogg, have expressed growing alarm over the facility’s continued operation despite these violations. Kellogg shared his concerns, stating, “I’m very concerned. We have to decide what’s good and what’s best. Looking at the current situation, if it doesn’t turn around, people are going to have to leave the county.” He added, “For them to fail OSHA requirements and still receive those chemicals and still manufacture using chemicals, that is a significant challenge for us.”
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