Georgia BioLab Fire
BioLab plant fire Glynn County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Doctors on social media are warning Georgia residents to stay inside as a chemical plume from a fire at a BioLab facility continues to spread hazardous toxins into the air.

"ATLANTA: The weird haze and smell of chlorine is from the Conyers chemical fire. Keep your windows closed, stay indoors, and turn on a HEPA filter if you have one," wrote Hayley McMahon MSPH, CPH, a public health scientist, to X (formerly Twitter). "For some reason I need to tweet this rather than the local government sending out a warning."

On Sunday, a fire which broke out at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia, caused sprinklers to distribute water onto a "water-reactive chemical," said Fire Chief Marian McDaniel of Rockdale County. The resultant plume of smoke and chemicals has been spreading across the Peach state, prompting an evacuation order for 17,000 residents and a shelter-in-place order for 77,000 more.

"I personally will also be wearing an N95 mask outdoors (in addition to indoors). Masks and HEPA filters won't protect you from chlorine gas, but they will help protect you from particulates in the air from the fire." McMahon continued.

On Sunday, Frank Walter, MD, COL Elizabeth Grossart, MD, FACEP, FAAPMR and Esther Hwang, DO, MPH conducted a webinar titled "Healthcare & Public Health Planning for a Chemical Emergency" on YouTube following the incident in Conyers.

Georgia residents have also been posting warnings and recommendations to social media to help others avoid the airborne toxins and remain safe as officials deal with the crisis.

Air quality surveys conducted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Georgia's Environmental Protection Division revealed the presence of chlorine in the air. Reports of chlorine gas, which is an incredibly harmful and toxic irritant when inhaled, have caused further panic, with residents taking to social media in their distress.

The state's crisis resources are already overstrained in handling the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

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