BioLab plant fire: More than 90K sheltering in place in Georgia as 'strong chemical smell' enters Atlanta area

Authorities are now reporting a "strong chemical smell" in the Atlanta area following a chemical plant fire east of Georgia’s capital city that has forced more than 90,000 residents to remain sheltered in place Monday after the "harmful irritant chlorine" was detected in the air. 

The Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency announced this morning that it is continuing "to investigate the numerous reports of a haze and strong chemical smell across Fulton County, likely related to the BioLab fire" that broke out in Conyers on Sunday. BioLab is a company that produces pool chemicals, according to its website. 

"We are aware of the incident in Conyers, Georgia and are working diligently to ensure the safety of those in and around Atlanta," Mayor Andre Dickens wrote on X. "The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport are conducting air quality control checks." 

The government in Rockdale County, where Conyers is located, ordered residents to remain sheltered in place on Monday after testing from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division revealed the presence of the "harmful irritant chlorine" in the "air emitting from the incident location of BioLab." 

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The fire at the BioLab plant began around 5 a.m. on Sunday before being put out later that afternoon. By that point, smoke clouds had been seen emanating from the facility and some residents were ordered to evacuate. Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said that a sprinkler head at the facility malfunctioned and caused "a mixture with a water reactive chemical." 

"Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency, based on information received from the Environmental Protection Division and the Environmental Protection Agency, strongly advises all Rockdale County residents to continue to shelter in place," Rockdale County government said. "Additionally, in the best interest and safety of the public and all citizens, it is recommended that businesses close operations until shelter-in-place is lifted. 

"For everyone sheltering in place, the best practice is to turn the air conditioning off and keep windows and doors shut," it added. 

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BioLab did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on Monday. 

"Our top priority is ensuring the community’s safety, and our teams are working around-the-clock to respond to the ongoing situation at our facility in Conyers, Georgia," the company said on its website. "We continue to work collaboratively with first responders and local authorities and have deployed specialized teams from out of state to the site to bolster and support their efforts. We are all focused on remediating the situation as rapidly as possible." 

Mayor Dickens wrote on X that "at this time, no warnings or advisories have been issued" in Atlanta. 

Fox News' Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.