BIOLAB FIRE: Officials warn of haze, chlorine smell across Atlanta area tomorrow morning

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — As crews continue to contain the chemical plume from the BioLab fire over the weekend, they are warning that winds will shift and much of the Atlanta area could wake up to a haze on Thursday morning.

“The current weather models show the winds will begin to shift from the east to the west after sunset Wednesday. Smoke is predicted to settle toward the ground as it moves toward Atlanta. There is a high likelihood that people across Metro Atlanta will wake up on Thursday morning seeing haze and smelling chlorine,” the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security said in a news release Wednesday.

“It is important to know that as the air settles each evening, smoke settles towards the ground as well. As the air lifts back up in the afternoon and evening, the smell and haze should dissipate. Chlorine has a very low odor threshold, meaning you can smell it before it reaches a harmful level,” GEMA added.

Crews have been working to remove much of the products from the BioLab factory since putting out the fire that sparked early Sunday morning.

The chemicals produced inside the BioLab facility react with water, which is why there has been a continuous plume coming from the factory.

County officials said that chlorines, chloramine and chlorine compounds were released into the air from the fire.

RELATED STORIES:

• Residents of Rockdale County demand answers after BioLab chemical fire
• ‘Shut it down:’ Neighbors ready to see BioLab shutdown after Rockdale chemical plume
• Rockdale County Chemical Fire: What to do if you feel sick from the plume
• Rockdale County chemical plant fire: Georgia Poison Center sets up hotline for related symptoms

Dr. Lynn Paxton, interim health director for the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale health district, said those chemicals can cause irritation of the skin and the mucus membranes, including the eyes and nasal passages and the respiratory system.

“People who already have respiratory conditions affecting these parts of the body may be more likely to develop symptoms from this exposure,” Paxton said during a news conference on Tuesday.

She had these recommendations for people being impacted by the plume:

• Stay indoors with closed windows and doors.
• Turn off any HVAC system that can pull in outdoor air.
• If you have an HVAC system that recirculates air, it is OK to leave on.

Paxton said she has been getting many calls and emails from people about whether N-95 masks will help filter out the chemicals. She said in this case, they will not.

“The reason for this is because the chlorine compounds are actually smaller than the size filtered by the N-95 mask,” Paxton said.

Paxton said anyone who develops emergency symptoms should seek emergency care from their primary care providers.

People with non-emergency symptoms can call the special hotline set up by the Georgia Poison Center to discuss what they should do at 404-856-6252.

RELATED NEWS:

Residents of Rockdale County demand answers after BioLab chemical fire

©2024 Cox Media Group