The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board sent investigators to investigate a Sept. 29 chemical fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia.
As many as 17,000 people in the area evacuated due to the fire, and 90,000 others east of Atlanta were advised to shelter in place due to the massive plume of dark smoke from the fire.
In September 2020, the CSB investigated a chemical reaction and decomposition at the facility, which released a plume of hazardous chemicals, including chlorine, that exposed BioLab personnel and nine firefighters to dangerous fumes. Surrounding businesses were evacuated, and a portion of Interstate 20 was closed for six hours.
The probe was in conjunction with the agency’s investigation of a chemical release and fire at the BioLab facility in Westlake, Louisiana, in August 2020, where a chemical reaction and decomposition started a fire and released a large plume of hazardous gases, including toxic chlorine, into the air. A portion of Interstate 10 was closed for more than 28 hours, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding community.
BioLab manufactures pool and spa chemicals containing trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), which is used throughout the country in pools.
When put in large bodies of water, such as pools, TCCA breaks down slowly, releasing chlorine. When TCCA comes into contact with small amounts of water and does not dissolve, it can undergo a chemical reaction that generates heat, causing the TCCA to decompose, producing toxic chlorine gas.
In April 2023, the CSB released a final investigation report that addressed the Westlake facility and Conyers facilities. The agency called on federal regulators to increase their oversight of hazards associated with reactive chemicals.
