Federal investigation chief calls Ga. toxic fire ‘completely unacceptable’

CONYERS, Ga. - Federal authorities have released an update on the investigation into fires at the BioLab chemical plant near Atlanta that produced a toxic chemical cloud and forced nearby residents to shelter in place.

“This incident and the substantial potential risk that it posed to the surrounding community was completely unacceptable. Reactive chemical incidents can have severe environmental and public safety impacts due to the combination of fire, toxic gas emissions, and hazardous materials involved, and BioLab and any other facility that has reactive chemicals onsite must manage those materials safely,” said Steve Owens, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board chairman.

The fires broke out Sept. 29 at the BioLab plant in Conyers, sending a huge plume of orange and black smoke into the sky.

The investigation found the initial reaction was caused by materials stored inside the warehouse that generated heat, which led to “decomposition and the release of toxic vapors” on Sept. 29.

Rockdale County officials have said a sprinkler malfunctioned and sprayed water onto the chemical, causing a reaction that created a large, hazardous plume.

A BioLab employee reported hearing a “popping sound” around 5 a.m. After trying to unsuccessfully isolate the reacting product, the worker called for help from another employee on site. A 911 call was placed about 10 minutes later, investigators said.

“By 6:30 a.m., flames became visible above the area of the chemical reaction,” the report states.

The fire was extinguished by 4 p.m., the report states.

Effects following the fire were felt across Rockdale County as evacuation and shelter-in-place orders were issued. Roughly 17,000 people near the facility had to be evacuated, and more than 70,000 others were ordered to shelter in place for several days. Rockdale County Schools temporarily shifted to virtual learning. Other metro Atlanta counties, including Fulton, were also warned of effects from the fire, including haze and a potential chlorine smell.

BioLab makes chemicals that kill algae and bacteria in water, primarily for swimming pools and hot tubs, the report says. The company is a subsidiary of Lawrenceville-based KIK Consumer Products.

The company said in a statement that it has a “strong track record of working constructively” with regulators and will continue cooperating with federal authorities who are investigating.

“We remail firmly committed to understanding the causes of the incident and to making things right for impacted area residents and business owners,” the statement says.

Parts of the building where the initial reaction happened collapsed during the fire and the building was destroyed. The Plant 12 building covered an area larger than five football fields and remained an “active emergency response scene” for nearly four weeks, the report says.

The Plant 12 warehouse was a bulk storage area separated from the main warehouse by a firewall and fire shutters, the report says. BioLab told federal investigators they had established a permanent fire watch two or three months before the event “after detecting strong odors from oxidizers in two storage buildings,” including Plant 12.

Interstate 20, which runs parallel to the facility, was shut down shortly after the building collapsed just before 1 p.m. and was closed until about 7 a.m. the next day. Smaller roads near the facility remained closed and the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency issued shelter-in-place warnings within a two-mile radius that lasted for several weeks. The final order expired Oct. 17.

More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed in connection with the fire.

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