ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Residents near a Conyers facility that stores chemicals are being evacuated and roads in the area are closed after a fire at the building led to a hazardous materials situation Sunday morning, according to the state's office Rockdale County Sheriff's Office.

The fire broke out at the BioLab facility on Old Covington Highway, the sheriff's office said, prompting the evacuation of people “within a certain radius” of the facility and the closure of several roads in the area.

The sheriff's office is asking people in the area to “stay indoors and keep windows closed to minimize exposure to potential hazards.”

The following streets are closed:

• Rockdale Industrial
• From Old Covington to Sigman Road
• Covington to 2nd Street
• Lester Road to Sigman Road
• Farmer Road from Sigman Road to Rockdale Industrial
• Rockbridge from Sigman Road to Main Street
• Green Street from Needmore Street to West Avenue
• Dogwood Drive from Blacklawn Roan to West Avenue
• Sigman Road at Irwin Bridge Road is closed to I-20bound traffic

“Please avoid the area and follow detour signs,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Emergency services are responding and safety measures are in place to protect the public.”

County officials said to stay away from Old Covington Road to Sigman Road and that Lester Road was being evacuated. Anyone north of Sigman Road should be evacuated, officials said.

The sheriff's office said the JP Carr Gym at 90 Hardin Street SW in Conyers has been set up as an evacuation site.

BioLab is described on its website as “the swimming pool and spa water care division of KIK Consumer Products based in Lawrenceville, Georgia.”

In a statement sent to Atlanta News First, KIK Consumer Products said: “We are actively investigating an incident at our BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia. No injuries were reported for our employees. Our team is on scene and working with first responders and local authorities to assess and contain the situation. As always, the safety of our community remains our top priority.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a fire broke out at the same location in 2004.

A similar incident reportedly occurred at the facility in 2020. According to the US Chemical Safety Board, “thermal decomposition” of a chlorine-containing product occurred there on September 14, 2020. I-20 was temporarily closed due to smoke from the decomposition.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story described the incident as a biological hazard rather than a hazmat situation.

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