What Caused the Fire in Georgia?
It is unclear what sparked the fire, which started on the facility’s roof on the morning of September 29, 2024. It was initially extinguished but reignited that afternoon, triggering the building’s sprinkler system, which then caused water to mix with a water-reactive chemical.
The flames were brought under control by 4 p.m., and the plant’s roof and walls have since collapsed. No immediate bodily injuries were reported, though some employees were inside the plant at the time of the fire.
What Chemicals Were Released?
What we know so far is that chlorine was released into the air, but environmental officials are still investigating the extent of the exposure.
An air quality survey conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division detected the harmful irritant chlorine.
Has This Happened Before?
Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said it was the third such incident of “this magnitude,” at the plant in at least seven years.
In September 2020, a “TCCA reaction and decomposition” caused another plume of hazardous chemicals to be released into the air at the Conyers plant, exposing facility personnel and nine firefighters to “dangerous fumes,” according to a U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board report.
Surrounding businesses were evacuated and a section of I-20 was closed for about six hours. The report stated another decomposition involving TCCA happened four days later at the plant, but no one was injured.
“TCCA is used throughout the country in pool care and, when put in large bodies of water such as a pool, breaks down slowly, releasing chlorine in the water,” the report added. “However, when TCCA comes into contact with small amounts of water and does not dissolve, it can undergo a chemical reaction that generates heat, causing the decomposition of TCCA, which produces toxic chlorine gas.”
It is not clear if the same chemical was involved in the most recent incident.
Is It Safe to Stay in the Area?
The Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation order that affected about 17,000 people and a shelter-in-place order for 77,000 more residents, depending on their proximity to the disaster.
The Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency advised people who were concerned about respiratory issues to stay inside, close windows and doors, and turn off heating and cooling systems. Please contact or look out for notices here for the latest safety guidance.
I Live Near the Site of the Explosion. Do I Have a Case?
If your life has been impacted by the Georgia BioLab chemical plant fire, contact Morgan & Morgan immediately to learn more about your legal options. We are here to help at no upfront cost. Contact us now for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.