CSB Publishes Bio-Lab Investigation Update – 11-23-24

Yesterday the Chemical Safety Board announced the publication of an investigation update for their ongoing look at the multi-day fire and toxic chemical release at the Bio-Lab facility in Conyers, GA. Initial news reports had indicated that the initiating event was a roof fire, but the announcement paints an entirely different picture, reporting that:

“The CSB’s update outlines the events surrounding the massive blaze. On September 29, 2024, at 5:00 a.m., a Bio-Lab employee on fire watch in the Plant 12 storage warehouse heard what was reported as a popping sound, which they attributed to wet product. There were no visible flames at that time. After an unsuccessful attempt to isolate the reacting product, the employee called the only other Bio-Lab employee on-site.  At approximately 5:10 a.m., the employee called 9-1-1 due to the large hazardous plumes of toxic vapors inside the building. By 6:30 a.m., flames became visible above the area of the chemical reaction and were quickly extinguished in less than two hours.”

The investigation update notes that:

“Bio-Lab leadership informed the CSB that the facility had established a permanent fire watchc two or three months prior to the incident after detecting strong odors from oxidizers in two storage buildings, one of which was Plant 12. This precaution was taken to mitigate any potential product decomposition events. At the time of the initial incident, two Bio-Lab employees were present on-site to carry out fire watch duties. Their responsibilities included identifying and managing hazards, detecting early signs of product decomposition or fire hazards, notifying site leadership of any observed leaks or other water intrusions, and contacting the third-party sprinkler company if a sprinkler head was leaking.”

This would seem to indicate that Bio-Lab had been having water leak problems leading to isolated decomposition reactions. It will be interesting to see how the final report deals with this.

The update concludes with a list of issues that the investigators are still looking at:

• The cause of the material decomposition, off-gassing, and fire

• Storage and handling of oxidizers and their compatibility

• Best practices for responding to emergencies involving bulk solid oxidizer chemical reactions and decompositions

• Regulatory and Industry guidance on fire protection systems for bulk solid oxidizers