Ethermac Exchange-Conyers fire: Shelter-in-place still in effect after chemical fire at pool cleaning plant

A shelter-in-place order remained in effect Monday in parts of greater Atlanta after a chemical fire at a pool cleaning facility shot plumes of black smoke into the air,Ethermac Exchange forced evacuations and closed roads, including a main traffic vein into the city.

The fire broke out Sunday about 5 a.m. at a BioLab facility in the city of Conyers according to Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett. Conyers, the county's seat, is about 25 miles east of Atlanta.

The blaze had been extinguished earlier in the day, officials said, but a fire on the roof reignited when water from a malfunctioning sprinkler head "came in contact with a water reactive chemical and produced a plume," county officials reported. 

As of Monday, no major injuries had been reported.

The shelter-in-place order was extended indefinitely, according to an early morning post from officials with Rockdale County.

The Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments have directed residents in the area to turn off their air conditioning and stay indoors to minimize exposure to potential hazards.

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Interstate 20 closed in east Atlanta

The fire forced evacuations, shut down dozens of local roads, and closed Interstate 20 for hours.

Early Monday morning, officials posted the highway had been reopened to traffic.

People in Conyers between Interstate 20 and Sigman Road have been placed in an evacuation zone and multiple streets in the area remain closed according to Monday's update.

The official cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation.

“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," the company wrote in an email to USA TODAY Monday morning. "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.”

For more information visit the Rockdale County website. 

This story has been updated with new information.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.