A state lawmaker says it could take the Conyers and Rockdale County communities years to recover from the recent chemical fire at BioLab.
“It is very obvious to me that this is a much bigger problem than any of us, including BioLab, realize, and it will take the coming together of the community, the company and leaders to commit to not just the cleanup, but to the welfare of us all,” state Rep. Rhonda Taylor, D-Conyers, chair of the Rockdale County House Delegation, said in a release. “I predict it will be years, if not decades, before we regain some form of normalcy.”
According to Rockdale County authorities, at about 5:30 am on Sept. 29, Rockdale County Fire Rescue responded to a roof fire at BioLab. The building contained chlorine compounds and a water-reactive chemical, resulting in a plume.
Rockdale County and emergency response agencies from across the state responded to assist, including the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the state Environmental Protection Division, the Georgia Emergency Management and local first responders from neighboring counties.
“The fire and chemical reaction at the BioLab facility has caused much suffering, and today, local, state officials and I were briefed on the actions being taken by BioLab to address the ongoing harm to our constituents,” U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Georgia, said in a release. “Their safety and well-being are our primary concern, and we are working hard to make things right for those impacted by this unfortunate incident.”
- Over 44 individuals signed up to speak during the public hearing, which took place on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the State Capitol. During the hearing, citizens expressed concerns that they were not being heard by officials and were receiving conflicting information regarding the incident, and participants emphasized the need for better communication from BioLab.
- Participants also expressed their health concerns. BioLab’s community liaison, Mr. Dexter Porter, addressed the attendees, apologizing for the situation and assuring them that the company is ‘doing everything it can’ to resolve the crisis. Additionally, local business owners voiced their concerns about access restrictions and sought guidance on how to recoup losses, including employee wages.
- During the follow-up meeting, coordinated by Congressman Johnson’s office, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, Rockdale County’s leadership, including directors and fire officials, confirmed that the fire was fully extinguished and that cleanup efforts will continue.
- They discussed the 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. shelter-in-place order, which was put in place due to the potential ongoing risks. Chairman Oz Nesbitt answered questions about the county’s preparedness for repeated incidents at the BioLab facility and discussed the state of emergency resolution. Contact details were also shared for county employees to address additional public inquiries regarding the incident and recovery process.
- Furthermore, during the hearing, BioLab’s CEO and COO apologized and promised to remain in the community for as long as necessary to assist residents in returning to normalcy.
- They stated that support is being offered not only to Rockdale residents, but also to anyone who believes they have been affected by the chemical fire. They then stated that assistance is provided on an honor system, with no stringent requirements. They provided information for reporting dead animals, filing claims for reimbursements and addressing debris issues. Finally, BioLab committed to keeping an indefinite, direct line of communication to address residents’ concerns.
Source: Oct. 15 press release from state Reps. Rhonda Taylor, D-Conyers; Billy Mitchell, D-Stone Mountain; and Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates; and state Sen. Tonya Anderson, D-Lithonia
