You probably remember that Sunday morning back in late September 2024. It was quiet until it wasn't. A "popping" sound at the BioLab facility on Old Covington Highway changed everything for Conyers. It wasn't just a fire; it was a chemical event that turned the sky into a kaleidoscope of toxic colors and basically paralyzed Rockdale County for days.
Honestly, the conyers biolab fire evacuation map became the most important document in Georgia for a week. If you lived within that red zone, your life stopped. About 17,000 of our neighbors had to pack bags and leave immediately, while the rest of the 90,000 residents in the county were told to hunker down. It was messy, scary, and frankly, a bit of a nightmare to navigate.
The Map That Defined the Danger Zone
When the fire first broke out around 5 a.m. on September 29, the evacuation map was relatively small. But things escalated fast. By the time the roof collapsed and a second, larger fire ignited around noon, the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office had to draw hard lines.
The primary evacuation zone was centered between Sigman Road and Interstate 20. If you were in that pocket, you were out. I-20 itself—a massive artery for the state—was shut down from Turner Hill Road all the way to Almon Road. Imagine a major interstate just... empty. It looked like a movie set, but the smell of chlorine in the air was very real.
Where People Went
Because the situation was so fluid, the "safe" spots kept changing. You’ve gotta feel for the folks who went to the initial evacuation site at 90 Hardin Street, only to be told later that it was now inside the danger zone. They had to move again. Most ended up at:
- Wolverine Gym in Newton County.
- Bert Adams Boy Scout Camp in Covington.
- Lucious Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia.
The map wasn't just a circle on a screen. It was a shifting beast. Depending on which way the wind blew, the plume—filled with chlorine, chloramine, and trichloroisocyanuric acid—would drift over different neighborhoods. This is why the shelter-in-place orders felt so unpredictable. One minute you're fine, the next, the county is texting you to shut off your A/C and seal your windows.
Why the Evacuation Map Kept Changing
A lot of people were frustrated. "Why can't they just tell us if we're safe?" was the common refrain on Facebook and Nextdoor. The reality is that chemical fires are fickle. BioLab was storing nearly 14 million pounds of chemicals. When the sprinklers malfunctioned (ironic, right?), the water hit those chemicals and started a reaction that couldn't just be "doused" with more water.
The EPA and EPD were constantly running air quality tests. They used something called a TAGA—a mobile lab—to track the plume in real-time. If the chlorine levels spiked 60 times over the legal limit, the map grew. If the wind died down at night, the map shrunk, but the "shelter-in-place" order stayed for a two-mile radius around the plant.
Eventually, by October 7, the evacuation orders were mostly lifted, but a strict 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shelter-in-place remained for anyone within two miles of the facility. Basically, the night air was holding the toxins closer to the ground, making it too risky to be outside.
Health Impacts: More Than Just a Bad Smell
Let's talk about the "walking worried." That's what the Poison Control folks called people who called in with minor symptoms. But for hundreds of residents, it wasn't minor. Georgia Poison Control took over 300 calls in just the first few days.
Common complaints included:
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- Burning eyes and throat (that classic chlorine sting).
- Nausea.
- Chest tightness.
- Shortness of breath.
For people with asthma or COPD, that conyers biolab fire evacuation map was literally a life-saver. If they didn't get out or seal their homes, the "irritants" could cause Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS). It’s serious stuff. Even a year later, as we look back from 2026, the community is still dealing with the legal and health fallout from that week.
Actionable Steps for Future Incidents
We hope it never happens again, but BioLab has had three major incidents in seven years. You need to be ready.
First, sign up for Rockdale County Alerts. Don't rely on scrolling through social media while the plume is already over your house. The official alerts are the only way to get the map updates in real-time.
Second, know your "Seal-in-Place" kit. If the evacuation map doesn't include you but you're in the plume's path, you need plastic sheeting and duct tape for your vents. Turn off your HVAC system immediately. This prevents the outside air from being sucked into your living room.
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Third, keep a digital copy of your homeowners' insurance and a "go-bag." When the 17,000 people were told to leave Conyers, they didn't have hours to pack. They had minutes.
Finally, if you were exposed, keep a log of your symptoms. Even if they felt minor at the time, long-term respiratory issues can take a while to surface. Many residents are now part of class-action lawsuits, and having a documented timeline of where you were on the evacuation map versus when your symptoms started is crucial.
The 2024 fire was a wake-up call for Rockdale County. The facility is under intense scrutiny now, and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board is still releasing updates on what went wrong. For those of us who live here, that evacuation map isn't just a piece of data—it's a reminder of a week where the air we breathed became our biggest enemy.
Check the official Rockdale County website or the EPA’s BioLab response page for the most current soil and water testing data if you live near the site. Stay informed, stay prepared, and always know your way out.