Massive chemical fire causes substantial amount of smoke to disperse in the atmosphere in the state of Georgia | US News

A large plume of dark smoke rising into the sky from a fire at a chemical plant in the US state of Georgia has led to evacuations – as experts try to determine its contents.

The fire started when a sprinkler head malfunctioned at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, on Sunday morning.

This led to water mixing with a chemical, causing a reaction that resulted in the plume, according to Rockdale County fire chief Marian McDaniel.

The specific chemicals in the smoke are currently unknown.

“We are actively responding to an incident at our facility,” said a representative from BioLab in a statement.

“All our employees are safe with no reported injuries. Our team is on site, collaborating with first responders and local authorities to assess and control the situation.”

With the smoke spreading behind him, Sheriff Eric Levett mentioned that the fire had initially been contained but had reignited, and firefighters were now dealing with the smoke.

Some areas were being evacuated, and people were advised to stay away from the vicinity, Sheriff Levett warned.

Interstate 20 was closed in both directions around the area, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division were present at the scene to monitor the air quality and determine the composition of the plume.

Firefighters were working on relocating the chemical away from the water source within the building, as stated by the fire service.

Once the substance is contained, the situation will be evaluated, and residents will be informed when it is safe to return to their homes, said Ms. McDaniel.