According to a new statement from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, BioLab was storing more than twice as many reactive compounds in its inventory as it had previously been told to officers years prior.
An “average products” of about 6.2 million pounds of raw materials may be stored there, according to the federal agency called CSB when BioLab requested permits to construct a new inventory at its center in Conyers and Conyers, according to officials in the company’s statement to officials in 2019 when the firm disclosed that it anticipated an “average inventory” of about 6.2 million pounds of raw materials may be stored there, according to the federal agency also known as CSB.
However, the CSB report claims that nearly 14 million pounds of chemicals were kept in the building at the time of the fires. BioLab did not respond to a request for comment on the findings right away. However, the report, which cited comments from BioLab, did not specify a numerical limit on the amount of raw materials kept in the building.
In September, raw materials at the pool chemical manufacturer in Conyers , causing the evacuation of 17, 000 residents and shelter-in-place orders for about 90, 000 people to come into bloom. The orders would last for weeks.
In a news release, CSB chairperson Steve Owens stated that the more we learn about this unacceptable incident, the more disturbing it is. This is a striking illustration of the serious dangers that can arise when a lot of reactive and corrosive chemicals are stored without proper safeguards in place.
According to the CSB report, BioLab kept a variety of oxidizers in the warehouse where the fires started, including “anything that readily produces oxygen or other oxidizing gas or that readily reacts to promote or initiate combustion of combustible materials.” In some circumstances, oxidizers may experience” a vigorous self-sustained decomposition as a result of contamination or heat exposure.”
Some of those chemicals came into contact with water in the early morning hours of , Sept. 29, causing a reaction that produced heat. According to the CSB, it caused the materials to decompose, which in turn caused the fires in the building.
According to investigators, Rockdale County  firefighters who responded to the scene reported to the CSB that they heard “popping sounds” coming from products that were “in the form of small explosions” with product physically falling out of the building.
One of the engines had to be moved by the firefighters because it was “being pummeled” by the reacting product and because it” sounded like you were at the gun range with pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,” they continued.
The CSB’s investigation is ongoing, and the source of the water that caused these reactions has still not been determined.
The federal  and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued fines of more than$ 61, 000 earlier this year for violations resulting from the September incident.
One of the county’s largest employers was BioLab, which has been in Rockdale since 1973. Prior to the fire, it had been one of the company’s biggest employees. However, according to an AJC review of state and federal records conducted last year, the September incident was at least the fourth major fire or chemical leak at a BioLab facility in the previous 20 years.
Citizens ‘ organizations demanded the factory’s closure for all time following the fire. BioLab announced earlier this month that it would stop making products at the factory but that its nearby distribution center would continue to be a business.
___
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2025.
Tribune Content Agency, LLC distributed.
