Chemical fire in the BioLab in Conyers: Pictures and videos show dark smoke

CONYERS, Ga. – Evacuations and shelter-in-place orders are in effect after a large, serious fire broke out at a chemical plant in Conyers on Sunday.

According to officials, the fire was started after a sprinkler system malfunctioned and responded with a “water-reactive chemical” around 5 a.m. at the BioLab facility on Old Covington Road. However, officials did not provide any information about exactly what chemical was involved.

The facility performs pool and spa treatments, and the chemicals used in the process appeared to worsen the fire and send up huge clouds of smoke. Residents near the plant shared images and videos of the menacing plumes of smoke that could be seen for miles.

The smoke cloud was also detected by radar.

Some residents of Conyers, just over 20 miles from Atlanta, also shared what appeared to be debris from the fire miles away. It is unclear what exactly the rubble is.

Rescue crews had contained the fire on Sunday morning, but authorities said the fire later re-ignited around midday. The crash was contained between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Sunday, but several roads in Rockdale County remain closed due to the incident.

No injuries have been reported at this time.

Officials are currently working to remove the reactive material from the facility, but noted the process could take several hours. The EPA is also expected to be on site to test air quality in the area. Once these tests are completed, Rockdale authorities will notify residents when they can return to their homes.

A resident 11Alive spoke to who lives less than a mile from the facility said she was ordered to evacuate around 7 a.m. Sunday morning.

“I was scared, I was very, very scared,” she told 11Alive's Cheryl Preheim. “They were banging really hard and loud, and they were screaming… They were just trying to wake up everyone in the neighborhood.”

Rockdale officials said this was the third incident at the facility in seven years. Residents with additional questions can visit rockdalecounty.gov or call the Rockdale County Emergency Management Hotline at 770-278-8300.