The sky turned dark and the air grew thick with smoke as a chemical plant fire raged on in Atlanta. The inferno, which began when a sprinkler head malfunctioned, sent a towering plume of chemicals into the air, visible from miles away. The fire, which was reported to have started around 5 am on Sunday, had residents of the surrounding areas on high alert.

The BioLab plant, a swimming pool and spa water care division of KIK Consumer Products, was the site of the fire. The malfunctioning sprinkler head had caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical, producing a plume of unknown chemicals. According to authorities, there were employees inside the plant at the time of the fire, but no injuries were reported.

The smoke from the fire was so thick that it could be seen from as far as 30 miles away, even from Atlanta's international airport. The air quality was a major concern, with federal and state testing showing the presence of chlorine in the air. Acute ingestion of chlorine can cause difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, headache, and chest pain, among other symptoms.

In response to the fire, authorities issued evacuation orders for parts of Rockdale County, including the city of Conyers, which has a population of 17,000. An additional 100,000 people in surrounding areas were told to shelter in place with windows and doors closed. The fire department, along with federal and state agencies, worked to contain the fire and remove the chemical from the building.

Smoke and Fear in the Air: A Chemical Plant Fire in Atlanta

Actions