Residents of an eastern Atlanta suburb were ordered to evacuate or shelter in place after a fire that erupted at a chemical plant early Sunday.
Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said that a sprinkler head’s malfunction triggered the fire at around 5 a.m. at the BioLab plant in Conyers.
The chief said the malfunction caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical producing a plume of chemicals and a small fire that has been contained.
“We don’t want fear. This is a well-handled incident,” McDaniel reassured the public.
“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.”
Locals living near the plant were asked to evacuate or shelter in place with doors and windows closed.
McDaniel said crews were still working with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to remove the chemical from the facility.
