Chemical fire closes stretch of I-20 between Augusta, Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – An incident at a chemical plant in Rockdale County has closed a portion of Interstate 20 between Augusta and Atlanta.

It also led to shelter-in-place orders, evacuations and other road closures, officials said.

Around 5 a.m., a sprinkler at the BioLab facility on Old Covington Highway in Conyers malfunctioned and sprayed water on a chemical, causing a reaction that produced a large, dangerous plume of smoke, which then began drifting northeast, fire chief of Rockdale County, Marian McDaniel. said shortly after 10 a.m

Trees have fallen on the CSRA as a result of Hurricane Helene.

The outage also caused a small fire on the BioLab roof, which remained contained, McDaniel said.

The fire has since reignited and a massive plume of smoke is billowing from the facility, prompting an evacuation order for everyone between Sigman Road and I-20, according to county officials. Anyone in the evacuation zone should leave the area, officials said. Anyone outside the zone is asked to stay away.

Officials said I-20 would be closed in both directions between Salem Road and Turner Hill. The Georgia State Patrol has been called in to assist with traffic control in the area, the sheriff’s office said.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, on behalf of the Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency, has issued a shelter-in-place order for residents in the northern half of the county, above Sigman Road. Those residents must stay indoors with windows and doors closed and turn off their air conditioners.