A serious blaze has broken out inside a chemical storage facility near Atlanta, Georgia, prompting local authorities to suspend traffic along a nearby highway. This is the third such incident at the facility since 2004.
Ten pallets of dry chemicals caught fire at a warehouse in the town of Conyers in Rockdale County, local media reported, citing officials. The facility in question is said to belong to BioLab, a company dealing with pool and spa water-treatment chemicals.
Tall plumes of white smoke could be seen rising from the building. Reporters on the ground said that they were chlorine vapor clouds, and police have advised people to stay away from the area due to the smoke.
?#BREAKINGNEWS 7:11a Conyers: You are looking at a chlorine vapor cloud shutting down I-20 between Sigman Rd (Exit 78) & Hwy 138 (Exit 82). Details NOW @wsbtv@wsbradio#ATLtrafficpic.twitter.com/733Rj5jg7u
UPDATE: Still smoking – Fire at #Conyers chemical plant shuts down I-20 – https://t.co/h9v8zhkXMW#Rockdalepic.twitter.com/vboyr2Tur0
Firefighters being very careful approaching this chemical fire 1700 Old Covington Hwy in Conyers. Both sides on I-20 East & West are closed between Hwy 138 and Sigman Road. @11AliveNews@11AliveTraffic#11Alivepic.twitter.com/NYUIvdlPEL
Officials were forced to temporarily shut down part of the I-20 highway as fire crews were dispatched to the blaze and the wind blew smoke from the chemical fire across the lanes. There were no reports of any casualties.
This is the third fire at the facility since 2004, when a blaze set off multiple explosions and caused the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Another fire occurred in 2016, also triggering an evacuation.
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