Paige R Penland
As focus was on Helene, a fire spewed toxic chemical plumes across metro Atlanta
Toxic smoke from the Sept. 30 BioLab fire pours across Interstate 20 just east of Atlanta, shutting down the vital artery for hours and complicating evacuation efforts during the chemical fire. YouTube
Fourth chemical fire at pool-chemical plant since 2004 prompts widespread evacuations
ATLANTA — The eastern side of the Atlanta metropolitan area was blanketed the morning of Sept. 30 with a fog of smoke and chlorine-scented gases, surprising residents already rattled by Hurricane Helene and an unrelated failure at the Adamsville Pumping Station.
The heavy, blue-green mist was coming from BioLab, a pool chemical manufacturing facility in Rockdale County, 23 miles southeast of downtown.
City officials were taken by surprise. This was at least the fourth time BioLab had caught fire since 2004, but prevailing winds usually carry the toxic plume across rural counties and into the Georgia mountains. Hurricane Helene had scrambled wind patterns, however, and pushed it into wealthy, suburban DeKalb and Gwinnet counties and parts of Fulton County.
Rockdale County had begun evacuating 19,000 Conyers residents early Sunday morning, when the fire began. Another 90,000 residents were told to shelter in place, with windows sealed shut and ventilation systems turned off.
The fire itself was extinguished by late afternoon, but the sprinkler system had soaked mountains of reactive pool and spa chemicals with water. The resulting plumes of chlorine, particulates and other chemicals spread across Rockdale, prompting the county to close schools and businesses for the following day.
South River Watershed Alliance helps save an Atlanta river
Dr. Jacqueline Echols shows off rehabbed Panola Shoals, a rustic kayak launch site that will be the beginning of South River Water Trail. Paige Penland/Hellbender Press
After years of activism, Atlanta’s South River is now a font of sustainability and fun
This article has been edited since its original publication.
ATLANTA — It has taken decades, but the once-polluted South River is now approved for fishing and recreation, and 40 navigable miles from Panola Shoals, about 30 minutes southeast of downtown Atlanta, to Lake Jackson, are being developed into the South River Water Trail for canoes and kayaks.
“This has always been an environmental justice issue,” said Dr. Jacqueline Echols, board president of the South River Watershed Alliance (SRWA) and driving force behind the cleanup.
The 60-mile South River begins in the 80-percent Black city of East Point, then runs through other predominately Black, South Atlanta communities and into Arabia Mountain Natural Heritage Area, where the Flat Rock Archives “preserves rural African-American history in Georgia.”
- south river watershed alliance
- garden & gun’s 2023 champion of conservation
- gacd 2023 urban conservationist of the year
- clean water act
- jaqueline echols
- arabia mountain natural heritage area
- flat rock archives
- south river water trail
- american rivers
- georgia conservation voters
- panola shoals
- keisha lance bottoms
- intrenchment creek
- rockdale river trail
- everett park
- environmental justice