A fire broke out at a chemical plant just east of Atlanta on Sunday, prompting officials to ask residents in the area to evacuate.
At around 5 a.m., a sprinkler head malfunctioned at the BioLab plant in Conyers, “causing a mixture with a water reactive chemical,” Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said.
“There was a small fire on the roof, which has been contained, but at that time, right now, there are no other issues,” McDaniel said.
The fire department is working on removing the material from the building and the water source, McDaniel said at a press conference Sunday.
Officials did not say what kind of chemical was released, but advised people to shelter in place and said the situation could change quickly.
“We’ll tell people to shelter in place, keep your doors and windows closed,” McDaniel said. “Any event, the wind shift, this thing can change really quickly. But once again, shelter in place, windows and doors closed.”
Videos on social media showed smoke billowing above the chemical plant.
In a statement, manufacturer KIK Consumer Products said it is responding to the incident at its facility in Conyers. KIK Consumer Products produces household and pool products, including Clorox water treatments for pools and spas, and Comet Cleaner items for the home.
“Our employees are accounted for with no injuries reported,” the manufacturer said. “Our team is on the scene, working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation. As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority.”
Rockdale County officials told residents living between Sigman Road and Interstate 20 to evacuate Sunday morning. Those living north of Sigman Road were advised to shelter in place. Churches in the area were advised to cancel services.
It’s not clear whether any residents were injured following the incident.
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