By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-29 19:50:12 | Updated at 2024-09-30 05:32:55
9 hours ago
Thousands of people are under a shelter in place order after a major fire broke out at a chemical lab in Georgia.
The footage shows massive clouds of smoke saturating the sky in Conyers, Georgia, after a fire ignited at BioLab on Old Covington Highway on Sunday, the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office said.
Around 5am, a sprinkler at the facility malfunctioned and sprayed water on a chemical that sparked an explosion, Atlanta News First reported.
The reaction led to a large, hazardous smoke cloud of smoke that began drifting to the northeast and prompted an evacuation.
This puts added pressure on Georgia's emergency services as Hurricane Helene swept through the state.
A fire ignited at BioLab on Old Covington Highway in Georgia on Sunday
🚨#BREAKING: Shelter-in-Place and Evacuations Ordered Due to Biolab Chemical Plant Fire releasing massive amounts toxic smoke
Currently, a shelter-in-place order and evacuations are underway as numerous hazmat crews and other emergency services respond to… pic.twitter.com/zvDpvnYIrv
The malfunction also caused a small fire on the roof of the building, but was contained before reigniting again.
There is an evacuation order in effect for anyone between Sigman Road and I-20, county officials said.
Officials stated that anyone in this radius needs to leave the area immediately.
A shelter-in-place order has been put in effect for residents in the north half of the county by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
