Investigation Reveals Causes of BioLab Chemical Fire in Georgia

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's findings detail chemical reactions and safety concerns that led to toxic fires, evacuations, and health impacts in Conyers.

The BioLab fire on September 29 in Conyers, Georgia, was caused by a chemical reaction involving water-reactive chlorine-based products, leading to toxic gas release and fires.
The initial fire was reported at 5:10 a.m. after employees on fire watch detected a reaction in a warehouse storing chemicals used for pool and spa treatment.
A second fire erupted later that day, producing multicolored toxic smoke and forcing the evacuation of 17,000 residents while 90,000 others sheltered in place for weeks.
Air monitoring detected high concentrations of chlorine and hydrogen chloride for several days, with residents reporting ongoing health issues such as blurry vision and breathing problems.
Rockdale County officials are pursuing a federal lawsuit against BioLab and seeking to permanently shut down the facility, while the U.S. Chemical Safety Board continues its investigation.