CONYERS, Ga. — An investigation into the chemical fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Ga. by federal officials found that the company stored its hazardous chemicals improperly.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned that the fire started at a company warehouse that stored a variety of chemicals.
Channel 2 Action News previously reported on the impacts to the Conyers, Rockdale County and larger metro Atlanta area communities as the chemical fire burned, causing weeks of overnight curfews in some areas.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Now, OSHA is proposing $61,473 in penalties to the chemical company and has issued four serious citations and two “other-than-serious” citations for violations by BioLab.
In January, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock urged federal officials to provide updates on their investigation into the September chemical fire.
RELATED STORIES:
- BIOLAB FIRE: US Senators, Georgia Rep. push for updates on fire investigation in Rockdale County
- BioLab employee heard popping, smelled strong odor before chemical fire: federal report
- BIOLAB FIRE: Rockdale County neighbors angry after plant partially re-opens
- ‘Enough is enough’: Commissioners to file federal lawsuit over BioLab fire, chemical plume
- Rockdale County students returning to in-person classes after BioLab fire
- First payments go out to those impacted by the BioLab fire as lawyers stress to be cautious
- BioLab opens community assistance center to help residents, business owners affected by fire
- Lawmakers demand EPA regulate BioLab following chemical fire, chlorine plume
As the chemicals burned and sent orange plumes of smoke into the air, 17,000 evacuations took place as interstate closures and shelter-in-place orders were issued by emergency responders.
A November report by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board found that the Rockdale County facility had “experienced a chemical reaction involving material stored in a warehouse, which resulted in multiple fires, extensive off-gassing, and a massive plume of potentially toxic smoke.”
The large plumes of smoke and toxic vapors that followed were what caused the road closures, evacuations and shelter orders. The report said that “ultimately, the warehouse was completely destroyed.”
In the wake of the incident, KIK, the company that owns Bio-Lab, opened up a community assistance center and worked to provide resources to impacted families and businesses, though the plant has since at least partially reopened, angering residents.
Lawsuits against the company have also been filed, with county commissioners saying, “enough is enough.”
BioLab sent a statement Monday night, saying:
“BioLab takes operational safety very seriously, and the company has been closely cooperating with OSHA. OSHA’s investigation did not focus on the cause of the incident, and the agency shared no findings with the company that would substantiate the statement in the press release about the cause. Consistent with our commitment to working collaboratively with OSHA, we continue to dialogue with the agency and its representatives as we work together to further enhance our safety procedures for the future.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
