Federal investigators have disclosed new findings about the BioLab chemical plant fires near Atlanta, uncovering a cascade of events leading to a hazardous chemical cloud. On September 29, the Conyers plant erupted, sending distinct orange and black smoke skyward. As per the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's update, an employee who was on fire watch reported a "popping sound" as they were exiting a breakroom to do a 5am check in the Plant 12 storage warehouse and noticed a reactive product had gotten wet, setting the stage for the toxic incident.
Emergency protocols began swiftly, with the first shelter-in-place order issued around 7:40am, as visible flames had emerged through the roof by 6:30am. Although Rockdale County firefighters managed to extinguish this initial fire, a second blaze sprang up around noon, prompting evacuations due to "thick black smoke, followed by multicolor plumes." Interstate 20 was closed until early the following morning, while local roads and areas continued under shelter-in-place advisories for weeks, concluding on October 17.
The fires devastated Plant 12, a vast structure once larger than five football fields. This incident has prompted more than a dozen lawsuits. BioLab says it had established a fire watch several months prior due to concerning odors, including in Plant 12. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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