A chemical cloud moving around Atlanta's suburbs prompts a new shelter-in-place alert
A chemical plant fire southeast of Atlanta is still causing trouble two days later
ATLANTA (AP) — Residents east of Atlanta were again warned Tuesday to take shelter where they are if shifting winds push the still-billowing chemical cloud from a chlorine factory fire over their neighborhood.
A shelter-in-place order had just ended Monday evening for Rockdale County, where the chemical fire sent a huge plume of orange and black smoke into the Georgia sky on Sunday. People complained about a strong chemical smell and haze for many miles around the BioLab plant in Conyers, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of downtown Atlanta.
“Due to the weather, the plume is banking down and moving throughout the county. If the cloud moves over your vicinity, please shelter in place until the cloud moves out,” Rockdale County officials told residents on social media early Tuesday.
Later Tuesday, Rockdale County emergency officials extended the timeline, recommending that residents shelter in place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night until Friday. They cited weather patterns in the evening and overnight hours, when air quality readings “may dip to concerning levels for those in direct exposure to the plume.”
