Atlanta-Fulton Smoke Advisory Following Chemical Fire

Fulton County, Georgia, is feeling the fallout from Sunday’s chemical plant fire in Rockdale County, 20 miles east of Atlanta. According to , the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is assessing the impacts of the BioLab chemical fire. EMA expects the smell of chlorine and visual smoke to persist for several days, October 3-6.

Mayor Andre Dickens held a press conference to tell residents concerning the possible chlorine odor.

The Georgian Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) provides detailed insight into the situation performed for tracking and monitoring purposes chemical levels.

The agency states: “Current weather models show winds will begin to shift from east to west after sunset on Wednesday. Smoke is predicted to settle toward the bottom because it moves toward Atlanta. There’s an excellent likelihood Metro Atlanta residents will get up Thursday morning to fog and the smell of chlorine.

On September 29, 2024, BioLab, a chemical plant 20 miles outside of Atlanta, burned to the bottom with smoke attributable to a faulty sprinkler system. Large clouds of red and black smoke were visible for hours after the fireplace began, prompting emergency warnings to be issued in Rockdale County and surrounding counties. The incident led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents. As a result, a category motion lawsuit was filed.

Daniel Rock Flyn of the law firm Dicello Levitt said: “Companies like BioLab have a duty and responsibility to ensure that they do not pollute the surrounding community.”

Residents of the town say they’re experiencing unwanted side effects equivalent to “breathing problems and burning and itchy eyes.”

The smoke was a wide range of colours and was visible on radar covering multiple cities in Georgia.

The company says a malfunctioning sprinkler system combined with highly reactive chemicals is accountable. The plant was not operational on the time of the accident, so no employees suffered direct physical injuries.

The GEMA website details precautions residents can take to remain protected:

• Limit outdoor activities and stay at home.
• Keep the indoor air as clean as possible.
• Elderly people, children and folks with weakened immune systems should stay indoors or limit outdoor activities.
• If you may have asthma or one other lung disease, follow the recommendation of your doctor or other health care skilled.

Chlorine levels are reported to be protected. If you or someone you already know has difficulty respiration or any respiration problems, call your doctor or the Georgia Poison Control Center at 404-856-6252.